NPC media frenzy

It seams there is only one topic in the news these days in China: the meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Chinese journalists are falling over each other trying to get a scoop out of one of the delegates, or of each other, or from a foreign colleague. And they are becoming ever more aggressive.

It is progress that it has become easier to interview the delegates, but as journalists we should still behave in a polite way.

Chinese journalists are especially eager to interview Chinese- speaking foreign colleagues, so they don't have to dub over the interview, although they usually put on sub-titles. This year I gave a half-an-hour interview to CCTV, which broadcast a few decent clips.

In the world outside China however, there is a lot less interest in the two meetings. China's economic course for the coming year, outlined in the premier's work report, is reported, but the press conferences organized in the framework of the NPC yield very little to satisfy editors abroad. Since they are broadcast live on national TV, all questions are vetted beforehand and the ministers have their answers neatly typed-out to read. All spontaneity is gone, and the result is clear: pre-arranged news bytes, vetted to contain as little news as possible.