New Tang Dynasty Television
Encyclopedia
New Tang Dynasty Television is a television broadcaster based in New York City
, with correspondents in over 70 cities worldwide. The company was founded by Falun Gong
practitioners. Its stated mission is to bring truthful and uncensored information into and out of China; to restore and promote traditional Chinese culture; and to facilitate mutual understanding between the East and West.
The company was referred to as NTDTV until mid-2010, when the preferred abbreviation was shortened to NTD.
station by a group of professionals who practiced Falun Gong. It was intended to offer an alternative to the Chinese government’s dominance in the Chinese media industry. The station has a regular focus on the promotion of traditional Chinese culture, and devotes extensive news coverage to Chinese human rights issues, taking a critical stance on abuses of power by the Communist Party of China
.
Since its founding, NTD has expanded to include English, Spanish, Japanese, French, and several other language editions. Its content offerings include news and analysis, arts and culture, travel, entertainment news, health and lifestyle, and children’s programming.
The station's critical reporting on the Communist Party of China
has prompted censorship and alleged interference with its reporting and business operations by the Chinese government
.
NTD began broadcasting via satellite in North America in February 2002, and expanded its audience into mainland China in April 2004. At present, the station's satellite coverage reaches Asia, Europe, and Australia in several languages.
According to the Wall Street Journal, NTD is, along with The Epoch Times
and Sound of Hope
radio station, part of a media empire founded by and affiliated with Falun Gong
practitioners. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2004 that the journal is registered as Universal Communications Network, which names top FLG spokesman Gail Rachlin as one of its three directors. NTD's President Zhong Lee denied that NTD is a Falun Gong TV station, however, and maintained that the station's operation is independent from Falun Gong..
The station's broadcasts can theoretically reach 200 million viewers globally, including 50 million in mainland China, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The station is best known for its news and analysis segments, which have been noted for an emphasis on issues such as human rights abuses in China, including the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the station broke news of SARS in 2003, three weeks before the Chinese government admitted publically that there was an epidemic. (It went on to cause at least 774 deaths.) The station offered extensive coverage of democratic elections in Taiwan, and the death of purged former Chinese General Secretary Zhao Ziyang
. The Chinese language station regularly airs a video version of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, an editorial series offering a strong critique of Chinese Communist Party rule.
From 2004 - 2006, NTD produced and televised an annual Chinese New Year Spectacular, a performance featuring classical Chinese dance and music. The show's performances contained ethnic and folk dances, dances depicting Chinese legends and moral tales, solo musical performances, and messaging and imagery sympathetic to Falun Gong, and included artistic representations of the persecution of practitioners in China. These shows have since been continued as traveling stage productions by a dedicated organisation, Shen Yun Performing Arts
.
In 2008, the station began organizing a series of annual competitions open to ethnic Chinese participants in fields of classical Chinese dance, martial arts, traditional clothing design, painting, music, photography, and Chinese cooking.
In January 2007, a theater in South Korea scheduled to host the New Year's performance cancelled their booking at the last minute, which NTD alleged was because China threatened actions against upcoming Korean shows in Mainland China.
In June 2008, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders
("RSF") accused Eutelsat
of closing down transmissions of NTD through its W5 satellite to appease the Chinese government, and appealed to Eutelsat CEO Giuliano Berretta to quickly reverse its decision to suspend NTD’s use of Eutelsat. According to RSF, the NTD shutdown was a "premeditated, politically-motivated decision". RSF stated that they were in possession of a recording of a purported conversation with a Beijing employee of Eutelsat confirming the allegations. Eutelsat claimed that the shutdown was due to a technical failure, and denied the validity of the conversation.
On 20 August, 2008, the International Federation of Journalists
released a statement calling on Eutelsat restore NTD and three radio stations including Sound of Hope
. The statement accused Eutelsat of bowing down to political pressure, and argued how the approaching Beijing Olympics could have resulted in the Chinese government's increasing pressure to censor the broadcasting of NTD.
The European Parliament also called on Eutelsat to reverse their decision to shut down NTD. Following this, Eutelsat issued a press release and written declaration, denying all charges of censorship against NTD. The company insists that NTD's shutdown resulted solely from the technical failure experienced by W5 satellite, and adds that NTD is being broadcast across Europe via Eutelsat's HOT BIRD video neighbourhood.
In June of 2010 the Canadian Prime Minister's Office cancelled a press conference that NTD and Epoch Times would have attended, so that Chinese President Hu Jintao
would not come into contact with the broadcaster, allegedly following terms from the Chinese consulate. According to the Toronto Star, such press conferences are usually standard procedure for foreign leaders visiting the Parliament, and the cancellation was seen as an extraordinary measure to keep NTD away from the Chinese President.
http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/ ShenYun Performing Arts
http://www.competitions.ntdtv.com/en/index.php/ NTD International Chinese Competitions
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, with correspondents in over 70 cities worldwide. The company was founded by Falun Gong
Falun Gong
Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline first introduced in China in 1992 by its founder, Li Hongzhi, through public lectures. It combines the practice of meditation and slow-moving qigong exercises with the moral philosophy...
practitioners. Its stated mission is to bring truthful and uncensored information into and out of China; to restore and promote traditional Chinese culture; and to facilitate mutual understanding between the East and West.
The company was referred to as NTDTV until mid-2010, when the preferred abbreviation was shortened to NTD.
History
NTD was founded as in 2001 as a Chinese languageChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
station by a group of professionals who practiced Falun Gong. It was intended to offer an alternative to the Chinese government’s dominance in the Chinese media industry. The station has a regular focus on the promotion of traditional Chinese culture, and devotes extensive news coverage to Chinese human rights issues, taking a critical stance on abuses of power by the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
.
Since its founding, NTD has expanded to include English, Spanish, Japanese, French, and several other language editions. Its content offerings include news and analysis, arts and culture, travel, entertainment news, health and lifestyle, and children’s programming.
The station's critical reporting on the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
has prompted censorship and alleged interference with its reporting and business operations by the Chinese government
Government of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
.
NTD began broadcasting via satellite in North America in February 2002, and expanded its audience into mainland China in April 2004. At present, the station's satellite coverage reaches Asia, Europe, and Australia in several languages.
According to the Wall Street Journal, NTD is, along with The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times is a multi-language, international media organisation. As a newspaper, the Times has been publishing in Chinese since May 2000. It was founded in 1999 by supporters of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline....
and Sound of Hope
Sound of Hope
Sound of Hope is a global, non-profit provider of radio news, cultural programming, talk shows and commentaries. SOH was established by Chinese immigrants in the United States in June 2003 and now has operating teams spread across North and South America, Asia, Australia and Europe...
radio station, part of a media empire founded by and affiliated with Falun Gong
Falun Gong
Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline first introduced in China in 1992 by its founder, Li Hongzhi, through public lectures. It combines the practice of meditation and slow-moving qigong exercises with the moral philosophy...
practitioners. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2004 that the journal is registered as Universal Communications Network, which names top FLG spokesman Gail Rachlin as one of its three directors. NTD's President Zhong Lee denied that NTD is a Falun Gong TV station, however, and maintained that the station's operation is independent from Falun Gong..
The station's broadcasts can theoretically reach 200 million viewers globally, including 50 million in mainland China, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Programming
NTD broadcasts 24/7, and offers a variety of original and syndicated programming, including news, arts and culture shows, travel, entertainment news, health and lifestyle, and children’s programing.The station is best known for its news and analysis segments, which have been noted for an emphasis on issues such as human rights abuses in China, including the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the station broke news of SARS in 2003, three weeks before the Chinese government admitted publically that there was an epidemic. (It went on to cause at least 774 deaths.) The station offered extensive coverage of democratic elections in Taiwan, and the death of purged former Chinese General Secretary Zhao Ziyang
Zhao Ziyang
Zhao Ziyang was a high-ranking politician in the People's Republic of China . He was the third Premier of the People's Republic of China from 1980 to 1987, and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1987 to 1989....
. The Chinese language station regularly airs a video version of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, an editorial series offering a strong critique of Chinese Communist Party rule.
Cultural Outreach
As part of its mission to promote “appreciation and awareness of traditional Chinese culture,” NTD organizes and produces a variety of cultural outreach programs, including Chinese classical dance, martial arts, and culinary competitions. The station frames these activities within a context of reviving true Chinese cultural and moral traditions that have been lost under Communist Party rule.From 2004 - 2006, NTD produced and televised an annual Chinese New Year Spectacular, a performance featuring classical Chinese dance and music. The show's performances contained ethnic and folk dances, dances depicting Chinese legends and moral tales, solo musical performances, and messaging and imagery sympathetic to Falun Gong, and included artistic representations of the persecution of practitioners in China. These shows have since been continued as traveling stage productions by a dedicated organisation, Shen Yun Performing Arts
Shen Yun Performing Arts
Shen Yun Performing Arts, formerly known as Divine Performing Arts, is a performing arts and entertainment company based in New York City...
.
In 2008, the station began organizing a series of annual competitions open to ethnic Chinese participants in fields of classical Chinese dance, martial arts, traditional clothing design, painting, music, photography, and Chinese cooking.
Censorship
NTD's anti-Communist Party stance and reportage on human rights issues in China has led to interference and political pressure from the Chinese Communist Party and its overseas embassies. In turn, along with dissuading government officials from attending the New Year's show, the Chinese embassy in the United States accused NTD of being used to "spread anti-China propaganda" and "distorting Chinese culture".In January 2007, a theater in South Korea scheduled to host the New Year's performance cancelled their booking at the last minute, which NTD alleged was because China threatened actions against upcoming Korean shows in Mainland China.
In June 2008, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
("RSF") accused Eutelsat
Eutelsat
Eutelsat S.A. is a French-based satellite provider. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, it is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues.Eutelsat’s satellites...
of closing down transmissions of NTD through its W5 satellite to appease the Chinese government, and appealed to Eutelsat CEO Giuliano Berretta to quickly reverse its decision to suspend NTD’s use of Eutelsat. According to RSF, the NTD shutdown was a "premeditated, politically-motivated decision". RSF stated that they were in possession of a recording of a purported conversation with a Beijing employee of Eutelsat confirming the allegations. Eutelsat claimed that the shutdown was due to a technical failure, and denied the validity of the conversation.
On 20 August, 2008, the International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, is a global union federation of journalists' trade unions—the largest in the world. The organization aims to protect and strengthen the rights and freedoms of journalists...
released a statement calling on Eutelsat restore NTD and three radio stations including Sound of Hope
Sound of Hope
Sound of Hope is a global, non-profit provider of radio news, cultural programming, talk shows and commentaries. SOH was established by Chinese immigrants in the United States in June 2003 and now has operating teams spread across North and South America, Asia, Australia and Europe...
. The statement accused Eutelsat of bowing down to political pressure, and argued how the approaching Beijing Olympics could have resulted in the Chinese government's increasing pressure to censor the broadcasting of NTD.
The European Parliament also called on Eutelsat to reverse their decision to shut down NTD. Following this, Eutelsat issued a press release and written declaration, denying all charges of censorship against NTD. The company insists that NTD's shutdown resulted solely from the technical failure experienced by W5 satellite, and adds that NTD is being broadcast across Europe via Eutelsat's HOT BIRD video neighbourhood.
In June of 2010 the Canadian Prime Minister's Office cancelled a press conference that NTD and Epoch Times would have attended, so that Chinese President Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
would not come into contact with the broadcaster, allegedly following terms from the Chinese consulate. According to the Toronto Star, such press conferences are usually standard procedure for foreign leaders visiting the Parliament, and the cancellation was seen as an extraordinary measure to keep NTD away from the Chinese President.
External links
http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/ ShenYun Performing Arts
http://www.competitions.ntdtv.com/en/index.php/ NTD International Chinese Competitions