CCTV-9 Propaganda Documentaries (2008/2009)

Following the 2008 Tibet Unrest, China's official international broadcaster, CCTV-9, began airing a series of documentaries about Tibet. The spin was that China's role in Tibet has been positive and that it has resulted in economic development and the abolition of the traditional system of serfdom.

No matter which side of the line you stand on the Tibet issue, these documentaries offer an insight into the official Chinese line and the art of producing propaganda documentaries.

Time of Reform - 50 Years of Democratic Reform of Tibet

Part 1:



Part 2:



More Videos:

• The Road to Prosperity - 50 Years of Democratic Reform in Tibet
• Striding Through History - 50 Years of Democratic Reform of Tibet
• This is Tibet: Human rights in old Tibet
• Qinghai-Tibet Railroad - Living in the Clouds
• Foreigners Witness Lhasa Riot

Further Reading:

• Media coverage of the Tibet unrest
• Tibetan unrest, Chinese lens
  

CCTV-9 - The Past of Tibet (2008)

Official Website

According to Old Tibetan law, Tibetans were divided into 3 categories, each was further divided into 3 classes. The Pala Villa owners´ wealth was beyond imagination. His house had about 1,000 rooms, in which there were 50 servants. His family also had 6 other estates in Tibet, and over 50 people to manage the estate. Gesang Quzhen and her mother slept in a room without roof. They were always hungry, but dared not ask for food. Deqing Zhuoma´s family were serves for 4 generations. She was born in a cowshed, and she was the 4th generation serf. Before 1959, there was a practice in Tibet, that is lama service - If a family had two sons, one of them had to be a lama. The basement of the building was a prison, where many cruel and savage ways of punishments were practiced. At meal time, the prisoners were sent to the streets to beg for food. Those who could not get food, would have to go hungry. The streets were full of beggars. Democratic reform was carried out in Tibet, it put an end to the system of feudal serfdom. It turned 1 million tibetan serfs into free men.

Watch Online:

• Part 1
• Part 2
  

Also visit the CCTV International Youtube channel for more.

CCTV-9 - Documentary on the Dalai Lama (2008)

Official Website

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, was born in Daktse Village in Qinghai. He was the son of Tibetan peasants. In every aspect, the Dalai Lama enjoyed the most expensive attention a supreme personality could enjoy in mediaeval Europe. The West has long been interested in Tibet. After living Buddha Radeng´s death, Tenzin Gyatso was deeply influenced by the thoughts of "independence". The indication from the Angel was the 16-year-old Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso should lead. Dalai Lama began his political career then. In Zhongnanhai, the Dalai Lama met Chairman Mao for the first time. In 1956, General Chen Yi arrived in Lhasa, leading a delegation from the central government. The US started deeping their hands directly into Tibetan affairs. In 1959, the Dalai Lama and his followers openly announced "Tibetan independence".

Watch Online:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
  
• Part 4
• Part 5
• Part 6
• Part 7

CCTV-9 - Documentary on Lhasa Riots (2008)

Official Website

China's CCTV-9 broadcasts a fifteen minute´s documentary on the riot happened in Lhasa, Tibet on March 14th at 22:00 Beijing time on March 20th.

The video shows the criminal acts of beatings, vandalism, looting and burning, plotted by the "Dalai Clique" in Lhasa, March 14, 2008.

The riots in Lhasa last Friday are the most serious incident in the region for decades. Local residents are still reeling from the aftershock, even as they try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. In the following documentary, we look back at the events to see how they've impacted the people in Tibet.

Watch Online:

• Documentary on Lhasa Riots (Part 1)
• Documentary on Lhasa Riots (Part 2)