Comments on: Blonde Ambition: How Xinhua Used A Foreign “Reporter” To Sex Up Its Propaganda

By: Dragonbreath

Dragonbreath — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 18:08:00 +0000

After reading this it would appear “RFH” is making a personal attack at Miss Aaron.
It would appear Nikki isn’t afraid to put it out there, while learning about China and getting some valuable experience in media. Whatever job you have, whatever work you do, you can do it well and proudly. Sounds like she’s really embraced life over there. Good for her!
Is that correct Mr RFH, that the Global Times is also a China mouthpiece? There is nothing wrong with foreigners working for government media; Xinhua, Global Times, CCTV, China.org, etc. Obviously there are some limits to reporting on “sensitive stories”. Imagine if none of them hired foreigners now that would be odd. If a laowai works for Xinhua or the Global Times, it doesn’t mean they are pro-China or disillusioned; it just gives a good insight into a different culture and also opportunities that wouldn’t be so immediately offered to them in the Western world.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 02:41:30 +0000

Right, so what Matt said is pretty much what I was thinking. Though if I said it I’d probably be labeled a fem-nazi, so I held back. Using the word “sex” and blond” and “ambition” together gets attention, but the article isn’t really about what those have to do with one another — it’s implied, and we are meant to just accept that they are all related. I agree that she seems like she’s punching above her weight in many ways, but shame on you for cashing in on sexist tropes.

By: benji

benji — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 15:31:00 +0000

hear hear
any come back from her has to be vetted and cleared by her Xinhua handlers, so don’t expect anything of any substance

By: Jonathan Alpart

Jonathan Alpart — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 13:32:01 +0000

Not much to add here that hasn’t been said, but I just wanted to say this was a fantastic write-up and was very interesting. I had no idea the story about her went this deep; I’d only read her fluff piece in the Daily Mail about her dating mishaps in China. I hope she comes back with some kind of response so this story can develop further.

By: fozzie bear

fozzie bear — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 04:36:56 +0000

Robbie Barnett is great – he guest-lectured a couple of courses on Tibet which were excellent. The guy has had a fascinating career too, as a master puppeteer before going full-time into Tibetan studies.

Here he is as a Landstrider from the classic Henson film Dark Crystal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DBkjvXHgj4

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 04:15:29 +0000

RFH:

That justification would make more sense if your actual article discussed how this person’s appearance actually related to her work at Xinhua. You are specifically calling out her voice work! Would you frame the situation the same way if it were a guy? Probably not, but I guess a title with fewer blondes and less sex doesn’t get the same click-through rate.

By: benji

benji — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 21:33:21 +0000

Xinhua, Peoples’ Daily, Global Times ……
All blatant mouthpieces of the CPC propaganda machinery.
Lets see how long before the demure Nikki start the diarrhea writing of the 1.4 billion living in the workers’ utopia versus the wretched western infidels living in the abject daily horror of “fire & water”.
And she’s a stringer for the Daily Mail (owned by Murdoch) ? Oh, the depths to which capitalist pigs will descend to to curry favour with …..

By: Meenawhine

Meenawhine — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 17:45:19 +0000

The bullshit is so strong with this one…

By: Su Dai Hong

Su Dai Hong — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 17:08:56 +0000

Indeed, for instance not only can z grade celebrities in the vein of Pars Hilton go about their business completely unrecognised by the general public but even A listers such as David Beckham can walk about completely incognito.

By: wafflestomp

wafflestomp — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:28:18 +0000

Great roast, love it, keep it coming!

By: BigVee

BigVee — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 11:29:25 +0000

First reaction: plenty of good people work (or have worked) for State-media. What’s the big deal? It’s an especially useful route for those looking to gain a first, valuable foothold in the media. Everyone needs a break.

Unfortunately, you’re gonna need to exercise some self-awareness. Xinhua ain’t the BBC. No point pretending otherwise, and Aaron, god bless her, makes the fatal mistake of aligning herself way too closely with her employers. She believes the hype. So, she’s either hopelessly naive, or willfully disingenuous. Or perhaps a mix of the both.

By: RFH

RFH — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 08:57:54 +0000

No. But I suspect the fact that she was blonde, white, blue-eyed etc was what made her so appealing to Xinhua recruiters

By: Chinese Netizen

Chinese Netizen — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 08:00:29 +0000

She was hoping the Hongkeys would call her out during a visit to HK? Got news for her: regardless of where she goes in Asia, she’s just another whitey face. Much like whiteys in the West say all Asians look the same.

Poor girl is living the self delusional life. Hope she doesn’t pack on the pounds during the Beijing winter or her “career” will be over…

By: Hannah

Hannah — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 07:30:30 +0000

I always love a good roast of self-proclaimed China experts, but the title and intro of this piece is misleading. What’s the significance of her writing about dating? Does it matter that she’s blonde? Or is the fact that she’s blond and female inherently support the claim that she is a charlatan?