When ten Chinese-American intellectuals gathered in an uptown Manhattan apartment five years ago with a dream of starting a television station, none of them could have imagined what it would become. Today New Tang Dynasty Television is a remarkable success, broadcasting almost all original programming 24 hours a day to tens of millions of households around the globe.
And every holiday season, the station produces a spectacular Chinese New Year show that now tours to some of the world's top venues in 26 cities on four continents, attracting major sponsors like Panasonic, Swatch and this newspaper.
The need for free TV
The station was born out of what the founders saw as a strong bias in the available Chinese-language media. For example, in the wake of September 11th, Chinese state media outlets were quick to glorify the terrorist attacks on the United States as a "repayment of a blood debt." No other perspectives were given significant airtime. This was enough to spur Samuel Zhou, now Vice President of NTDTV, and his colleagues into action.
"At first, we didn't have any idea where we were going with it. We just saw the need for a free Chinese media," explains Zhou.
"The Chinese government controls most of the media in the Chinese community. After September 11th, it was clear that there was a need in the community for the free flow of information and for greater cultural exchange." NTDTV was officially registered in February, 2002. In addition to carrying cultural content, drama series, documentaries, children's shows, and other popular interest programming, the station's flagship news show offers Chinese viewers a rare chance to learn about issues that state-run media is forbidden from showing: stories of civil rights violations, protest movements, and religious and political persecutions by the governments.
In February 2003, NTDTV was the first to break a story about a mysterious disease outbreak in China that later became known as SARS. Three weeks later Chinese authorities finally admitted they had a problem.
In a language market where the Communist state-run media reigned supreme, NTDTV turned out to be a breath of fresh air, attracting millions of viewers worldwide. But the station has also had its share of difficulties. NTDTV is banned in China, though millions still access it via satellite.
"New Tang Dynasty TV is the hope for democracy in China!" wrote Zhang Xian, from Shanghai, China, in March 2005.
At the time, the station almost lost its feed into China because of intense Chinese Communist (CCP) pressure on its satellite provider Eutelsat.
Even overseas, the long arm of China's regime still asserts a presence. NTDTV employees have had their offices vandalized, their phones tapped, and their tires slashed by people they say are Chinese government agents looking to intimidate them into silence.
"It's always been difficult, but we just had this conviction…we saw the importance and necessity of such a television network, so we were committed to making it a success," says Zhang.
Holiday Spectaculars are part of the vision
Since 2004, NTDTV has been bringing Chinese New Year celebrations to the world in ever-more elaborate variety entertainment shows. These feature original music and dance inspired by the best of traditional Chinese culture. This year, the station's New York headquarters also launched the Holiday Wonders performance, showcasing some western-style entertainment along with the traditional Chinese array.
"We wanted to serve as a bridge between east and west. Promote Chinese culture and help propel it back onto the global stage, and also share the democratic values of the west with the Chinese people," says Zhang.
NTDTV also seeks to provide Chinese viewers with an alternate to the "cultural" programming of Beijing-controlled media.
NTDTV spokesperson Carrie Hung said in an interview with The Epoch Times last January that the Chinese Communist Party "wanted to destroy China's culture and replace it with the CCP's culture. That way they would be sure of controlling China." NTDTV's shows, therefore, are a "small effort toward revitalizing China's authentic culture," she said.
Many of the shows' world-class performers believe strongly in NTDTV's mission. Chen Ningfang, 65, plays the lead flute in the Tian Yin orchestra, which accompanies the show, while her husband is the orchestra's conductor. Their son was persecuted as a prisoner of conscience in a labor camp in China. Upon his release three years ago he joined his parents in the U.S. and now plays bassoon in the orchestra.
"I feel that [Holiday Wonders] is very good and very meaningful for the people who witness it. I feel that when they can accept it into their hearts it draws them in to this traditional, divine culture," says Chen.
Guan Guimin, 62, was a famous Chinese tenor in the '80s and '90s. "Few male singers were as famous as me," he says with a modest wink. Guan immigrated to the U.S. in 1996 to give his son an opportunity to study abroad, but he still returned to China to perform.
But since Guan also practices Falun Gong, however, his situation changed once the CCP began persecuting the meditation practice in 1999.
"After that, venues no longer dared to invite me to perform," Guan says. "Even in the United States, if an event invited me to sing, the [Chinese] consulates and embassies would call them and tell them not to let me come. But NTDTV dares to speak the truth."
Choreographers worked on Holiday Wonders for 18 months and three dance troupes trained for the show for over a year. Overall about 200 performers and musicians were involved.
Performances included the mesmerizing Tibetan dance "Snowy Mountain, White Lotus" by the Lotus Performing Arts Troupe, and the Mongolian Bowl Dance. The ancient principle of good being met with good and evil being met with evil was explored in a tribute to Falun Gong practitioners enduring persecution by the CCP today. Even Santa made appearances and there was a song celebrating the Jewish Hanukkah.
Visit the NTDTV New Year's Spectacular website for details of this year's upcoming performances in your area. http://newyeargala.ntdtv.com/2007/en/content/view/24/38/lang,en/ .
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