"Where is the Script?"

When I was working as a reporter at a TV station in Australia, a cameraman who had previously worked for an official TV station in China joined us. He was technically skilled, held the camera very steadily, and shot very smoothly.

One day, I was taking him out to cover a news event, which I think was a protest by some Tibetan group. Just as we were ready to set off with our equipment, he suddenly asked me, "Where's the script?"

I was puzzled and asked him back, "What script?"

He told me that in mainland China, before he went to shoot an event, he would always be provided a script. It would outline who speaks first, what he/she says, who speaks second, what he/she says, and so on. He would just follow the script and shoot accordingly.

He even mentioned that he would sometimes get the full text of the leaders' speeches in advance, along with the specific sentences that would be quoted in the TV news. So, during the actual shooting, he didn't have to film everything from start to finish; he just needed to make sure he captured those specific lines mentioned in the script.

I was stunned. Since I started my journalism career after I left China and learned Western journalistic practices, I had no idea that news in mainland China was filmed according to a script.

I could only tell him that there was no script because the event hadn't happened yet. We had no idea what the situation on the ground would be like and would have to see what would happen later.

Later, I also discovered that although he handled the camera steadily and efficiently, whenever I mentioned we needed to interview someone and asked him to set up the tripod and connect the microphone, he became flustered and didn't know what to do.

I gradually understood that this was because, in China, especially for someone like him who often covered official meetings, he rarely, if ever, had the experience of randomly interviewing people. Hence, he wasn't adept at setting up a tripod, connecting the microphone, and filming interviews.

I also recalled that a relative of mine graduated from the journalism department of Sichuan University during the time of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. He later worked at an official TV station. He once told me that there is no real news in China. All media are the Party's mouthpieces and propaganda tools. Every report, even entertainment programs, has a policy directive. If you don't understand this, you shouldn't pursue a career in "journalism."

Watching CCTV's news reports these past few days brought back these old memories, which I feel like sharing.

8/1/2024 *

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