Radio with a view
By Palden Gyal Posted Jan 1 2004
The media landscape in Tibet has become increasingly complex over the years with newspapers, radio, television and the Internet. However, the Chinese state control is strict enough to trace, or even ban, media use for political purposes. In spite of China's entry into the world's markets, freedom of the press in Tibet remains far in the distance under Chinese occupation. Even calling for a free press can result in an arrest and possibly imprisonment. However, radio broadcasts from outside of Tibet have offered hope in the media landscape.
Landlocked in central Asia, Tibetans were relatively isolated on the world's highest plateau until the People's Liberation Army invaded it in 1950. After a failed uprising against Chinese occupation, the Dalai Lama and about 80,000 Tibetans fled to India in 1959. Despite China's propaganda effort in Tibet over the last 50 years, they have not yet attained their desired results.Despite China's propaganda effort in Tibet over the last 50 years, they have not yet attained their desired results. One of the goals has been to portray Tibetan culture negatively and especially to present the Dalai Lama as a traitor to China. There are, however, strong signs that the majority of Tibetans in Tibet have not accepted this representation.
In 1959 the Tibet Autonomous Region Peoples' Broadcast Station began to broadcast programs. From my experience, during the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese radio broadcasts had an initial impact inside Tibet. Each household had no choice but to listen to a central radio broadcast that was heard through speakers positioned in every home. The aim of the Chinese was to persuade the populace through constant propaganda. But far from being convinced, most Tibetans became further agitated by these persistent broadcasts. Many Tibetan elders were so annoyed with this constant blaring that they sometimes quietly offered sweets to children in return for hurling rocks at the speakers to damage them. In spite of the failure of these broadcasts, the Chinese Communist government still operates a radio station in Tibet.
The Chinese government also censors the large number of print media. In 1951 in the eastern Tibetan region of Amdo, the Qinghai Daily News was first published in Tibetan language. The Ganze Daily was initiated in 1954 and The Tibetan Daily in Lhasa in 1956. Few Tibetans read these papers and even fewer took the so-called “news” seriously. Now, however, a recent shift in strategy has been to co-opt Tibetan scholars as tools in the propaganda game. Thus, after 50 years, the media largely remain a tool for communist propaganda.
For example, on June 12, 2000 at the National Center for Tibetan Studies in Beijing, the state council news agency's director Zhao Qizhen outlined how to present propaganda on Tibet to other countries. He affirmed that one of their aims is to break the trust between the international media and the Tibetan exile government. Zhao Qizhen stated, “Tibetan studies institutes and scholars must exchange views with outsiders and influence them and convince them of our viewpoint. Western people generally do not believe government papers and instead rely more on 'experts' and 'scholars.'” Thus, since the Chinese state's propaganda has failed to influence Westerners, he points to using scholars to convince outsiders of progress inside Tibet and China. He also disclosed that Tibetans have clearly not accepted China's criticism of the Dalai Lama. As a result, he makes it clear that the Chinese are merely awaiting the Dalai Lama's eventual death.
The Chinese government has also tried to prevent Tibetans from using media other than Chinese propaganda. For example, there is the threat of interrogation for people who use the Internet to access information about the Tibet issue and the Dalai Lama's activities. In 1993 monk Phurbu Tsering was arrested for having a copy of the Dalai Lama's autobiography and listening to Voice of America.
Even among exiled Tibetans, an independent media is a relatively new conception. Since 1959, the Tibetan community, mainly in India and Europe, has published more than 15 newspapers, although not all of them have survived. Some failed for financial reasons, others because they offended the conservatism of the exiles. Short-lived independent newspapers include Democracy, Straight Line and the Dharamsala Post. Democracy started in 1991 and ended in 1996 due to social pressures from the conservatives.
In contrast, the government in exile has two successful Tibetan-language newspapers. One of them, Tibetan Freedom, has existed for 43 years. The other one, Knowledge, has been published for 26 years. In addition, there are English-language newspapers, Tibetan Review and the Tibetan Bulletin, run by the government in exile.
Today there are several independent Tibetan newspapers and journals. These independent publications include The Tibet Times, Tibetan Affairs, The Tibetan Post, and The Social Mirror. It is unclear, however, how long these publications will be able to survive. The longest-published one, The Tibet Times, started in 1996.
Given the novelty of a critical media, the contemporary context does not yet fully accept a free press that criticizes the exile administration. Many Tibetan journalists exercise caution when critiquing government policies and handling sensitive information. Running news stories that reflect negatively on the Dalai Lama can anger Tibetans. And while the exile government supports freedom of the press, it does not look so favorably on reports that may cause instability.
One of the key developments in Tibet's media history was initiated in the West. Research shows that the introduction of radio broadcasts into Tibet, beginning with Voice of America (VOA) in 1991, the Oslo-based Voice of Tibet (VOT) in 1995 and Radio Free Asia (RFA) in 1996, has had an impact on the information access for Tibetans in Tibet. These broadcasts are the only opportunity for Tibetans to receive uncensored Tibet-related information. For example, when a Tibetan religious leader, the Karmapa, escaped to India, Tibetans learned about his safe arrival via radio. The Chinese government has been alarmed about the formation of Tibetan-language service and has attempted to jam radio broadcasts of international broadcasters such as VOA and RFA.
VOA broadcasts mostly news, including international and regional stories. Each day, it broadcasts four one-hour programs. The VOA service in Tibet has attracted large audiences. Almost all Tibetan households listen to its early morning newscasts.
RFA was founded as a private, non-profit organization through a grant from the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors. One RFA listener wrote in a letter, “We are grateful for the news and programs that you regularly broadcast — like the waves of the ocean.” Another letter said, “We six-million Tibetans deserve and long for a continuation of your highly-dedicated and great service.” RFA is popular because it is in three different dialects: Lhassa, Amdo and Kham. Other stations primarily program in Lhassa, not Amdo or Kham. The majority of people speak the other two dialects, present in the east and southeast of Tibet. Also, there is a unique call-in aspect to RFA's programming. The Chinese government cannot trace calls because people call the toll-free number from public telephones. One caller said that RFA provided valuable news about Tibetan issues, inside and outside of Tibet.
VOT offers a 30-minute news service in Tibetan followed by a 15-minute news service in Mandarin Chinese. Its objectives are “to provide a channel for unbiased information and news to the Tibetans living under Chinese oppression in Tibet, to help preserve the threatened Tibetan culture, to educate the Tibetans in internationally acknowledged human rights, to inform about democracy and democratic institutions of the Tibetan exile community, and to help prevent conflicts and discrimination.”
These broadcasts into Tibet are vital and effective because radio remains the most accessible and popular media in Tibet. The short-wave radio has emerged as a popular gift and item of exchange. For people in remote areas with limited access to other media, radio remains an unobtrusive and portable means through which to connect directly with information. Despite the Western and industrialized nations' preoccupation with other media, it's critical to emphasize the importance of radio in low-income regions and virtually no freedom of press.