The balloon incident is still taboo on CCTV's evening news, but lesser outlets that produce English content for an outside audience such as Global Times, are having fun with it.
Presenting US expert (and amateur Freudian)
SCOTT RITTER:
"It's a physical manifestation of US fear!"
"How do we tell the American people...that the greatest capitalist nation...is getting trounced by communists?"
You just told them, Scott!
By the way, who is "we"?
Nice touch: The innocent balloon was labeled "weather balloon" in a previous cartoon. Now it's upgraded to a 'meteorological balloon.'
That should settle the argument.
"fiction-like narrative?"
Global Times gas-lights doubters of balloon's innocence.
Critics must be hysterical, crazy, absurd, etc.
Scott Ritter usefully analyzed it in similar psychological terms.
Another psychological portrait of Uncle Sam.
Global Times has clearly labelled it "weather balloon"
What more proof do you want?
The earthquake has left hundreds of thousands homeless. The CCTV stringer sadly notes they have no home, nowhere to go, nothing to their name.
But what really hurts is sanctions...
This insightful point is driven home on a street where Russia Today has a crew in place
The camera zooms in on a face in the crowd, focusing on a tall, soft-spoken man, a man named Bashar.
"The West, they put politics above humanitarianism! For them, all politics! Not humane"
Thank you.
And now we turn to Turkey where orange-suited Chinese rescue crews wearing easy-to-identify Chinese caps and jackets with Chinese flags and logos have been busy in front of our cameras...
-To be replaced with Xi Jinping thought!
-In keeping with spirit of the 20th and Xi's wisdom!
-Ukraine update from Kremlin war room
-Update on China aid to quake
-No news of US today (balloon still taboo)
Xi's propagandists, still bristling from historic "desecration" of Tiananmen Square by those allegedly pro-Western demonstrators, uses the Square, Great Hall, and Xinhua Gate as unassailable icons of CCP power, erasing inconvenient memories that challenge the sanctity of his rule
"We have established Comrade Xi Jinping as the core of our party" -Party School cadre
-Xi gives a speech about his accomplishments
-Applause and plaudits massive
-Dairy and farm sectors good
-Earthquake in Turkey and Syria
-China ready to provide aid
-US fans flames in Ukraine
-US in flames in Ohio
CCTV provides multiple angles on the sustained applause.
Giant dairy farm in Gansu is the lead domestic feature, followed by one of CCTV's favorite tractor shots.
Yuan Xiao, or Lantern Festival, marks the end of New Year Festivities. It dates back to the Han Dynasty, but its cultural manifestation in today's China is decidedly modern: lots of digital magic and resourceful illumination
And since CCTV is quite good at putting on galas, it's nice to see familiar old faces on the stage singing soothing, anodyne songs.
But wait, what's this? Did the TV suddenly switch channels?
No, this is the first big act of CCTV's night celebrating an ancient hallowed holiday is staged PLA footage of a stunt in which they struggle to plant a red flag on a windy mountaintop.
Pointless, but nice composition.
-Extensive coverage of US weather
-Nothing on the "weather balloon"
-Detailed reports from all corners of the US
(except for Myrtle Beach)
-Lead story about spring planting
-Big story on Chinese culture
-China in full bloom
CCTV does some world-class navel-gazing with a lavish look at itself at the tail end of the lunar new year holiday. Dragon dances everywhere...
Dragon and Pearl!
(The dragon's big, beautiful white pearl, also affectionately known as 'that weather balloon' got shot down on Feb 4 by an F22 over Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, but you won't hear a word about that on China's most authoritative TV news program)