ESPN warned hosts to avoid any political discussion of the relationship between China and Hong Kong, as the NBA continues trying to make amends with the communist nation after Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement on Friday.
According to a report from Deadspin, ESPN’s Senior News Director Chuck Salituro sent a memo to all staffers telling them to avoid talking about the political situation between Hong Kong and mainland China. Deadspin was also told that senior ESPN executives were monitoring all shows as they discussed the news of the day.
ESPN’s reticence to talk about the massive and endemic human rights violations stands in stark contrast to the network’s all-out support for the NBA’s boycott of North Carolina because of the Tar Heel State’s transgender bathroom law.
ESPN’s commentators were entirely unrestrained when attacking North Carolina for being “homophobic” and “transphobic.”
In March of 2017 for instance, ESPN host Rachel Nichols insisted that North Carolina’s law aimed at keeping children and women safe in public washrooms was somehow just like the “lunch counter” protests during the Civil Rights era. That same month, Nichols also openly advised the NBA to boycott North Carolina.
Smithsonian screening dispute puts museum’s commitment to diverse views on trial: ‘Right kind of Black?’
Reporter’s Notebook: Senate sneaks in one last political play before voters have their say
Federal voter fraud arrests intensify in California days after DOJ warning
Rick Jackson to skip Trump campaign rally in Georgia
Court Set to Deliver Big Win to 70 Churches Seeking to Leave United Methodist Denomination
How a foreign government helped accused Saudi spy’s family flee US after OpenAI bug scandal
Violent far-left riots in France are ‘chilling warning’ for Americans at home, Mike Johnson says
WJ Straw Poll: Rubio Nears 50 Percent as Massie Loses More Ground
Trump aides fire back at press over Zacharia firing as they seek to limit damage
Convicted serial rapist originally sentenced to 124 years walks free after 20, sparking outrage
Blue State Schools Forced Christians to Keep Bibles in Envelopes So Other Students Wouldn’t Be ‘Exposed to Them’
Elon Musk Announces Plan to Distribute a Financial Gift to ‘Every Kid in America’
Trump heads to unlikely battleground as GOP fights to hold Senate and more top headlines
State Trooper Dishonorably Discharged for Using ‘Offensive Language’
It took 3 months to get inside this massive Texas data center — here’s what we saw
In other cases of pandering to transgenderism and radical LGBTQ issues, ESPNW’s Katie Barns routinely supplied stories celebrating the LGBTQ agenda and attacking those that she thought might be in opposition.
Then there was ESPN’s support for outspoken race-baiter Jemele Hill who, for years, used the sports network as a platform to push her radical ideas about “social justice.”
In 2016, for instance, ESPN tolerated Hill’s proclamation that the U.S.A. does “everything possible to undermine the LGBTQ community.” Curiously, never once did Hill mention that China actually jails, tortures, and executes gays there.
Worse, even when an ESPN personality skewed to the right side of the political aisle, the network felt the need to apologize for it.
Back in 2013, ESPN was apoplectic that commentator Chris Broussard dared to express a Christian worldview, and the network felt the need to disavow Broussard for his comments.
It should also be remembered that back in 2016, ESPN fired legendary Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling over his comments about transgenderism.
Despite that “woke” history, ESPN is squelching any discussion of the far more real and vicious human rights abuses in China. Perhaps the key is the huge contracts ESPN shares with the NBA?
Smithsonian screening dispute puts museum’s commitment to diverse views on trial: ‘Right kind of Black?’
Reporter’s Notebook: Senate sneaks in one last political play before voters have their say
Federal voter fraud arrests intensify in California days after DOJ warning
Rick Jackson to skip Trump campaign rally in Georgia
Court Set to Deliver Big Win to 70 Churches Seeking to Leave United Methodist Denomination
How a foreign government helped accused Saudi spy’s family flee US after OpenAI bug scandal
Violent far-left riots in France are ‘chilling warning’ for Americans at home, Mike Johnson says
WJ Straw Poll: Rubio Nears 50 Percent as Massie Loses More Ground
Trump aides fire back at press over Zacharia firing as they seek to limit damage
Convicted serial rapist originally sentenced to 124 years walks free after 20, sparking outrage
Blue State Schools Forced Christians to Keep Bibles in Envelopes So Other Students Wouldn’t Be ‘Exposed to Them’
Elon Musk Announces Plan to Distribute a Financial Gift to ‘Every Kid in America’
Trump heads to unlikely battleground as GOP fights to hold Senate and more top headlines
State Trooper Dishonorably Discharged for Using ‘Offensive Language’
It took 3 months to get inside this massive Texas data center — here’s what we saw
According to New York Business Journal, ESPN has a $2.6 billion deal to broadcast the NBA’s games. Clearly, with the league kowtowing to China’s dictates and refusing to denounce the country over its dismal human rights record, ESPN is taking its cue from its big-dollar business partner. Accusing Americans of evil — real or imagined — is fine with this sports network. But the real abuses of the Chinese are off-limits.
Then there is ESPN’s link to parent company Disney which is also up to its neck in ties to Chinese money. Indeed, Disney is so beholden to the Chinese that it felt the need to get China’s approval to buy 21st Century Fox. Disney also operates a lucrative theme park in Shanghai, China.
Chinese moviegoers have also figured heavily into Disney’s bottom line. According to the New York Times, for example, Disney’s “Avengers: Endgame,” earned $614 million in China. Chinese moviegoers purchased an estimated $8.87 billion in tickets alone, in 2018.
Story cited here.
