
Taming News of a Border Tragedy
The catastrophe that struck the China-Nepal border last month is a case study in information control — and the clearest sign yet that Xi Jinping has rewritten the script for domestic media.

On January 30, 2009, Spain’s public broadcaster, Spanish Radio and Television Corporation (RTVE) and China Central Television (CCTV) signed a cooperation agreement during former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s (溫家寶) official visit to Spain. Signed by then RTVE president Luis Fernández and the director of CCTV, the agreement covered the exchange of news programming, documentaries, and a range of cultural content, as well as co-productions and training exchanges for professionals from both stations. The broadcasters also committed to organizing themed broadcast weeks: “TVE China Week” and “Spanish Week at CCTV” — and planned musical collaborations between the RTVE Orchestra and Choir and Chinese artists.
