The Listening Post

Beijing Olympics 2.0: China’s soft power push

The Beijing Winter Olympics are under way. We analyse the coverage – both the PR and the negative reporting. Plus, French media mainstreaming Eric Zemmour.

The Olympics are back in Beijing, and China is using them as an opportunity to cleanse itself of its record on human rights as well as on its shrinking freedom of the press. Let the propaganda games begin.

Contributors:
Xu Qinduo – Presenter, CGTN
Susan Brownell – Professor of anthropology, University of Missouri & author, Beijing’s Games: What the Olympics Mean to China
Yaqiu Wang – Senior researcher, Human Rights Watch
Jonathan Cheng – China bureau chief, The Wall Street Journal

On our radar:

In Indian-administered Kashmir, the arrest of a journalist – another one – under terrorism and sedition charges is the latest development in an escalating war on journalism.

Eric Zemmour: Far-right presidential candidate, protege of the French media

France and a far-right journalist turned presidential contender – Eric Zemmour – and the TV channel behind his rise.

Contributors:
Aurelien Mondon – Associate professor of politics, University of Bath
Rokhaya Diallo – Contributor, C8 & contributor, The Washington Post
Christophe Deloire – Secretary-general, Reporters Without Borders