New Tang Dynasty TV

Infobox_TV_channel
name= New Tang Dynasty
logofile=NTD_TV.jpg
logoalt=
logosize=
slogan=
launch=2001
owner=
former names =
sister names=
web= [http://www.ntdtv.com ntdtv.com]
terr avail=None
terr serv 1=
sat serv 1=Dish Network
sat chan 1=N/A
cable serv 1=Adelphia
cable chan 1=N/A
cable serv 2=Also available on other cable systems such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and in Canada, on Rogers Cable Channel 630
cable chan 2=Consult your local cable provider
online serv 1=VDC
online chan 1 =Channel 760
dummy parameter=
|

New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV) is a nonprofit Chinese language television broadcaster based in New York City. Since its launch in 2001, NTDTV has extended its 24/7 programming to cover North America, Asia, Europe and Australia with a wide range of cultural, leisure, political, and news programs in Mandarin Chinese and select programs in Cantonese and English. One of their missions, according to the official website, is to foster mutual understanding between Chinese and Western societies and promote multiculturalism, peace and compassion. NTDTV also puts on an annual "Chinese New Year Spectacular", which celebrates Chinese culture and includes content on Falun Gong.

NTDTV is, along with "The Epoch Times" and Sound of Hope Radio Station, part of a media empire founded by and affiliated with Falun Gong practitioners. [Chen, Kathy [http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119508926438693540.html Chinese Dissidents Take On Beijing Via Media Empire] "Wall Street Journal" 11-15-2007] [http://www.usembassy.it/pdf/other/RL33437.pdf Lum, Thomas CRS Report page CRS-8, list of Falun Gong-affiliated media] NTDTV is known to sympathize with the plight of Falun Gong, and takes a critical line on the Chinese Communist Party. In January 2005 it aired [http://www.ntdtv.com/xtr/eng/aAboutXTR_e.htm] a video version of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, an editorial condemning the Party.

In November 2006, NTDTV reporter Simone Gao of Monterey Park, California was recognized as the winner for New America Media's Best Investigative/In Depth Broadcast Award for broadcasting on “Hi-tech Companies, the Chinese Government and the Internet”. [cite press release | title = Winners of the First National Ethnic Media Awards | publisher = New America Media | date = 2006-11 | url = http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_custom.html?custom_page_id=323 | accessdate = 2007-12-13]

The Chinese New Year Spectacular

The Chinese New Year Spectacular is a live show performed in various major cities around the globe annually. It is also aired globally by NTDTV. According to the producers, the Chinese New Year Spectacular celebrates traditional Chinese culture and tradition. But there are definite acts in the performance that support the practice of Falun Gong and critical of the crackdown carried out by the PRC government. Some of the acts in the show include a dramatised execution and Chinese police using violence against a "mother and daughter whose banner carries the Falun Gong message." This has led the Chinese government along with the Daily News into criticizing NTDTV's apparent misleading advertisement of the show. [Citation | last =Konigsberg | first =Eric | title =A Glimpse of Chinese Culture That Some Find Hard to Watch | newspaper =The New York Times | year =2008 | date =02-06 | url =http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/nyregion/06splendor.html?_r=1&oref=slogin]

According to NTDTV, The 2006 production at New York’s Radio City Music Hall was ranked seventh of the top shows internationally on Billboard magazine’s Boxscore in February 2006. [cite press release | title = World-Class 2007 Chinese New Year Global Spectacular Tour Launches from Vancouver | publisher = New Tang Dynasty Television| date = 2006-11-14 | url = http://spectacular.ntdtv.com/2007/content/view/193/lang,/ | accessdate = 2007-06-13] In 2007, the Chinese New Year Spectacular toured 31 cities and performed 88 shows in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. [citation | title = 2007 Spectacular Schedule and Tickets | publisher = New Tang Dynasty TV | url = http://spectacular.ntdtv.com/2007/index.php?option=com_cityshows | accessdate = 2007-06-13]

Alleged Chinese Government Interference

Because of NTDTV's association with Falun GongFact|date=September 2008, as well as its broadcasting of anti-communist, pro-Falun Gong stance, there has been a running battle between NTDTV and the People's Republic of China, with, allegedly, the Chinese government try to convince the satellite operators to stop carrying NTDTV broadcasts. [http://www.sunshinepress.org/wiki/Eutelsat_suppresses_independent_Chinese-language_TV_station_NTDTV_to_satisfy_Beijing]

In January 2004, pressure was intensified to ensure that NTDTV was completely excluded from NSS-6 Asia satellite transmission. Eutelsat, a French-based satellite provider, announced In March 2005 that it would not renew a contract to carry the channel. The decision was met with a lawsuit and condemnation by free press NGOs such as "Reporters Without Borders" (RWB). RWB stated that they were aware of a Chinese government instruction to Eutelsat in May 2004 demanding it to "put an end to this broadcasting immediately." [cite news | title = Eutelsat is stopping the transmission of the Chinese-language channel NTDTV under pressure from Beijing | publisher = Reporters Without Borders | date = 2005-03-14 | url = http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=12857 | accessdate = 2007-06-23]

As reported in "The Korea Times" on Jan 7, 2007, a Korean theater scheduled to host the Korean NTDTV Chinese new year performance canceled the contract at the last minute. Show organizers reported that initially the National Theater told them it was being forced to cancel because China was threatening the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism with cancellations of upcoming Korean shows in Mainland China.Fact|date=August 2008 However, NTDTV says that theater later denied such pressure, saying that the show was canceled of breaching an obscure restriction against foreign performers. [cite press release | title = Beijing Bullies Korean Government into Blocking NTDTV Show; Now Targeting Corporate Sponsors | publisher = New Tang Dynasty Television | date = 2007-01-17 | url = http://www.ntdtv.com/xtr/en/press/ntd-statement-e.htm | accessdate = 2007-06-13]

In June 2007, Chinese students of New York University's Chinese Culture Club protested and issued a public letter condemning NTDTV holding a dance competition in the university, accusing it of spreading "anti-Chinese propaganda" [http://www.nyuccc.org/document/support_lett.pdf] . NTDTV claimed the protests was instigated by the Chinese Communist Party's organizations, although it has not yet been proven. [cite news | title = CCP Allegedly Attacks New York Dance Competition | publisher = The Epoch Times | date = 2007-06-20 | accessdate = 2007-11-24 | url= http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-6-20/56702.html]

On July 11, 2008, Wikileaks.com released a leak from Reporters Without Borders that indicates "Transcript Eutelsat establishing termination of New Tang Dynasty Television service for financial gains (1 billion dollars)with the Chinese Communist Party in China." [ [http://wikileaks.org/wiki/NTDTV_China_sat_channel_shutdown_transcript_2008 NTDTV China sat channel shutdown transcript 2008 - Wikileaks ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.ntdtv.com/ NTDTV Official Site]
* [http://shows.ntdtv.com Chinese New Year Spectacular]
* [http://www.sfist.com/archives/2007/01/08/the_falun_gong_show_sfist_goes_to_the_ntdtv_chinese_new_year.php The Falun Gong Show: SFist goes to the NTDTV Chinese New Year]
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/NTDTV New Tang Dynasty TV] at Youtube