You’re right that when reporting a journalist needs to be impartial and attack an issue from all sides with no presumptions, however, personally journalists can believe whatever they wish.

Rui’s campaign, best I know, wasn’t being broadcast in his BizChina slot, or any other bit that he’s a member (work-wise) of. It was all off-time, so to speak.

I think that Rui’s campaign is more tolerated than encouraged by the high-ups. The issue doesn’t have much to do with politics, and so, they’ll let it go until it becomes a bigger problem.

The job of any journalist worth his salt is to maintain impartiality on news stories and not to take a stand–especially in such an impassioned manner. Mr. Rui clearly let his emotions get the better of him, and he took a stand on an issue which he should have avoided as a journalist.

I’m not sure if he understands the nature of being a journalist, and where he acquired his journalism training–if you can call it as such. But what also strikes me is that CCTV allowed him to editorialize. This episode also bolsters international perception–especially in countries where journalism is by and large independent and committed to the truth–that the news media in China in general is far from free and credible. Mr. Rui apparently had the tacit approval from higher-ups to start such a crusade, so that the Chinese government cannot be blamed for interfering in private enterprise.

Compared to many countries I know, China has a long way to go in attaining moral ascendancy and respectability.

And Mr. Rui Chenggang, though he may hold important positions in China and elsewhere, is not a true and credible news anchor.

I don’t know that I’m for or against the notion of a Starbucks inside a cultural icon such as the Forbidden City. What I will say is that I was appalled that the Chinese let their local merchants get away with far worse. The general atmosphere around the the entrance of most attractions is akin to a flea market or cheap town fair. Merchants shouting at you with bullhorns at the entrance to the one of the Badaling Great Wall site is a common occurrence, as are the merchants who litter the top of the Wall itself with their little shops selling everything from ‘take a picture with my camel’ or ‘take a picture with my horse’ (yes they have real animals), or ‘let me inscribe your name on this grain of sand’…

The atmosphere inside the Forbidden City is at least better than the circus which occurs outside, but you still can’t escape harrassment by any number of people trying to sell you crap masquerading as tourist trinkets.

That said, these are wonderful cultural sites. If Mr Rui is using Starbucks as a way to start the conversation to boot the other hucksters, then go right ahead. But, let’s not make Starbucks out to be a villain. On the other hand, I suppose it might be less than politically correct to criticize the bureaucrats who sell franchises to hawk stuff to anyone on the street

I didn’t actually go to the Starbucks in the Forbidden City itself, but if it’s anything like any Starbucks I’ve seen in Beijing, then it’s run with the usual levels of efficiency and cleanliness - plus no sales pressure The story Mr Rui also ought to be telling is how the Chinese are trampling on their own cultural history - without help from anyone else.

In the latest Lost Laowai post I find a bit of new hope for my otherwise jaded opinion towards free thought in China. It comes, oddly enough, in the form of a CCTV anchorman. He’s no Ron Burgundy, but he’s pretty cool none-the-less.

Whether he’s te…