The Tube

I must be dating myself, as I don't think many people still call television, 'the tube.' But the viewing options here in China in this medium in English, have the same limitations as when televisions actually had a tube within them.

There are basically two channels for English viewing. CCTv9 is the news channel that covers the world scene, and then there is ics, which offers other programming. I am thought by Mel and Elmeda to have special privileges, or be royalty, as they only receive the news channel. Though the other day, they were able to receive ics for a short time in their humble abode.

I watch CCTv9 to keep abreast of news in the States, and of course, the financial crisis around the globe. I have been impressed of the global coverage of this issue and they spend quite a bit of time on the European markets and that of Japan. Once in a while, Bush appears on the screen, but not often. The view is that the U.S. did not do enough to bail out its institutions.

The ics channel has been the most interesting to watch in the evening and on a weekend morning. The choice of programs was surprising in comparison to what was on when I was here in January. In January, National Geographic (with a China focus) and documentaries on China were pervasive. Now, Project Runway, Funniest Home Videos, and Amazing Race are popular. The Funniest Home Videos is all U.S. clips with a local host, who is not Chinese. There have also been a few old movies, and I mean old. Gregory Peck and Shelley Winters, in their early days, and an old western have graced the screen.

There is a local cooking show, You are the Chef, where I have learned about the hairy crab. It is in season now and apparently in demand by locals and visitors in the fine restaurants. I can spot a female from a male, not that this will be useful knowledge upon my return. The female host of the show links up with a chef in a restaurant and shows the viewers how to prepare some great dish, even taking a trip to the grocery store to get the ingredients and informing the viewers what to look for. Similar to back home, viewers can log on to the show's website and get the recipe.

Learning about Chinese beer, wine, poetry, art, and mythology have also been part of my education. They are done via a talk show format, bringing in individuals with noted expertise in the areas.

What is going on in the entertainment field is just as popular here as back home. Most evenings there are clips regarding movie and music artists and what they are attending, or their newest release. I can still keep tabs on Paris Hilton if she were on my list of people to watch. There have been two specials regarding Michael Jackson, providing a biography of him through the videos that he released over the years.

Programming is interrupted often back home with commercials and it is no different here. I have been taking notes, but that is another blog.