Shanghai’s state television station has postponed a broadcast highlighting the positive aspects of the city’s response to the Omicron outbreak following an online response.
Shanghai Dragon Television, the city’s main television channel, which also broadcasts via satellite to Chinese-speaking audiences worldwide, announced the decision on social media late Tuesday night, hours after it was criticized online. Dragon TV said it welcomed “valuable feedback on our work”.
The pre-recorded show, which will pay tribute to key Shanghai workers as well as government officials, was scheduled to feature some of China’s most famous celebrities, including Andy Lau and Wang Ibo. It was originally scheduled to air in prime time on Wednesday night. Some Dragon TV officials said the program aimed to “inject positive energy” into the city’s nearly 26 million residents who were blocked.
But soon after the show was announced, an online negative reaction followed. “We stay at home, we worry that we can’t take food – we are constantly consumed every day and too many negative things happen. At this point, we have not been able to fight the epidemic, “said one commentator.
Cases in China
They continued: “What is the significance of this special party, is it really for the people, is it really to pay tribute to the medical staff and volunteers? Do something real and I really don’t care about the party. Please pay more attention to public opinion. Solve problems and do real things, don’t engage in such formalism. “
Footage of people unable to buy food has been circulating on China’s social media for the past two weeks, as the city first entered a phased blockade and then a full-scale blockade. Residents complain about the city’s handling of the fire and blame authorities for poor preparedness.
Despite severe restrictions, the number of people infected with Covid-19 continues to grow in the city. On Wednesday, Shanghai reported another 25,141 asymptomatic cases on Tuesday, up from 22,348 a day earlier. Symptoms have also risen from 994 to 1,189, city officials said.
The situation in Shanghai and the effect of proliferation on nearby cities have worried economists, who say the blockade has disrupted global supply chains. On Wednesday, dozens of manufacturers of key electronic components shut down production at their facilities in Kunshan, home to one of the world’s largest electronics manufacturing centers.
Perhaps under pressure from an online reaction, Dragon TV said in a late-night broadcast Tuesday that it would postpone the program. However, despite the last-minute withdrawal, some people were still angry.
“Please ask Dragon TV to go live 24 hours a day: 1) Check who is raising prices. 2) Keep track of where help materials are sent, how many are sent and to whom? 3) How can lonely elderly and seriously ill patients leave the community to see a doctor?
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