‘Chilling’: CNN Reporter Shut Down For Asking NBA’s Harden and Westbrook About China Censorship
Members of the press reacted to a “chilling” incident — caught on camera — in which a spokesman for two NBA players shut down a CNN reporter for asking questions about the NBA’s censorship on behalf of China.
After CNN’s Christina Macfarlane asked NBA players James Harden and Russell Westbrook whether they would feel differently about speaking out in the future following the NBA’s censorship of comments that are critical of China, Macfarlane was shut down and had her microphone taken away.
Journalist gets quickly shut down when she asked James Harden, Russell Westbrook if they would refrain from speaking out on politics/social justice after China debacle… pic.twitter.com/VkXSWo0N0s
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) October 10, 2019
“Wow, this is chilling. The NBA minder shuts down CNN’s question here and refuses to let the players answer it,” reacted Tablet Magazine senior writer Yair Rosenberg. “Not only are they acting as China’s censors for their employees, they’re now bringing China’s suppression of the critical press to our shores.”
https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/status/1182309829538467840
New York Magazine and HuffPost contributor Yashar Ali called the NBA’s actions “disgraceful,” while CNBC’s John Harwood called the move “pathetic.”
“This is loathsome and cowardly. Does the NBA really think it can sustain radio silence on this?” questioned RealClearInvestigations’ Mark Hemingway, while Vox’s Aaron Rupar declared, “This is just an awful look for the @NBA.”
Breitbart News’ Senior Editor-at-Large Rebecca Mansour posted, “Welcome to the new normal, folks. Get used to the awkward silence when you ask about something our new rulers in Beijing have deemed verboten,” and Washington Post National Political Correspondent James Hohmann said, “The silence of Harden and Westbrook in response to this important question is deafening — and reflects very poorly on the NBA.”
https://twitter.com/RAMansour/status/1182313704211144704
https://twitter.com/jameshohmann/status/1182306836382470145
“This disgusts me as a journalist… and as a human being,” said Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch, while Miami Herald reporter Adam Beasley commented, “What an awful look for the NBA.”
Washington Examiner Executive Editor Philip Klein wrote, “Keeps getting more pathetic. @NBA going to great lengths to mimic totalitarian China,” and Forbes columnist Roger Pielke Jr. remarked, “NBA sticking to sports by sticking it to journalist doing her job.”
https://twitter.com/RogerPielkeJr/status/1182302684520402944
The Blaze’s Jason Howerton, Defense News’ David B. Larter, CNN analyst James A. Gagliano, Washington Post reporter Michael Scherer, and former PC Gamer editor-in-chief Gary Whitta also responded to the incident.
https://twitter.com/jason_howerton/status/1182309848702169088
https://twitter.com/DavidLarter/status/1182308778882093056
https://twitter.com/JamesAGagliano/status/1182307523413585932
The NBA has been at the center of controversy recently over its relationship with China.
Fans with “Free Hong Kong” signs have been kicked out of several games while the NBA tries desperately to retain its relationship with China, which has been shaky since Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed support for the Hong Kong protests.
China responded to Morey’s comments, which he soon deleted, by pulling support from Chinese media and sponsors and suspending game broadcasts, and the NBA apologized for Morey’s remarks.
“We are extremely disappointed in the inappropriate remarks made by Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey,” the NBA declared in a Chinese-language statement that sparked intense controversy.
In a recent episode, South Park also mocked the NBA, as well as Disney and Google, for sacrificing their moral integrity to get money from China, and China responded by banning the show in the country.
