China’s top television news show runs week of reports slamming Hong Kong protesters
- CCTV’s prime-time evening programme takes aim at all aspects of recent marches and violent clashes
- Mainland journalist says media companies under strict orders to use only Communist Party approved content in reports on situation in Hong Kong
China’s most watched daily television news programme has aired a series of damning reports about the anti-government protesters in Hong Kong and blamed “external forces” for helping to disrupt order in the city.
State broadcaster CCTV’s prime-time evening news programme Xinwen Lianbo began the run on Saturday with a report promoting the “Protect Hong Kong” rally organised by Beijing supporters at Tamar Park in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong.
Subsequent reports covered the violent protests outside Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong on Sunday night when protesters sprayed anti-China slogans on the wall of the building and splashed black paint on the national emblem.
On Thursday, the programme interviewed businesspeople and Hong Kong residents who said the city’s economy would suffer if the protests continued.
Johnny Wei, 45, a businessman who lives in Zhaoqing in the southern mainland province of Guangdong, said he was in tears when he watched the reports.