Just to underline the point further, Xinhua published the censored Chinese version but one click of the 下一页 button takes you to the full text in English. link

Why is there so little discussion about the four music masters' lip synching (or hand synching) during the inauguration? Contrast this to the similar occurance in the Olympics.

Why is there so little discussion about the four music masters' lip synching (or hand synching) during the inauguration? Contrast this to the similar occurance in the Olympics.

Other than a nytimes articles, a primetime CNN piece the "issue" hasn't been made into an issue because it wasn't hidden and it was told to the media before it happened.

For a comparison of the two

Olympics: A nine year old girl was deemed "not pretty enough" to stand before an audience but had an awesome voice. The person we watched was not the actual singer. It was a lie and fabrication. Moreover there was a small attempt to cover this up.

Inauguration: Days before the event the musicians notified the media that they may have to use a recording due to extremely cold temperatures (they were worried strings would break). The musicians recorded the music two days before the event. The same musicians played during the event although over their recording (i.e. they played, we heard the recording).

To "Music Master": The fact that the Inauguration musicians were not playing live was known directly at the time the music was being played and the musicians on stage were not substitutes as in the Beijing Olympics example you raise. Thus no controversy.

To music master: Yes, I was wondering about it as well. The Western media were falling over each other to criticize the lip-synching during the Chinese Olympics. But this time around, when something similar happened in America, there is very little discussion at all. One also wonders about the propaganda machine of the Western countries.

@ music master

Why should we care, as long as they are still fooling their own people? China has passed the age of bitching about other countries with no end.

Back to the topic at hand, I've always felt that there is a hierarchy of access to information in China. One of the strongest determinants is one's mastery of foreign languages, particularly English. Most major western news outlets have been open on the internet for years now, and if you have the cash, you can watch CNN and BBC on TV in your 4 or 5 star hotel room.
I've heard that certain companies and government departments have access to uncensored (but monitored) internet connections. I think that all of this is an attempt to manage the competing needs of information control and information flow in China's unique system. The party still feels the need to control information, but is well aware of the key role that information access plays in the 21st century economy.

to yinbinn:
I don't think there is any difference between the lip synching of the US ingauration and the China Olympics.
Actually 2 names of the performers are listed in the catalog of the Olympics opening ceremony to tell you the truth. But I don't know why few ppl mention this important point. Also it was revealed by the Chinese authorities actively on the 2nd day. I don't know why the western press tends to mislead you to a wrong impresstion that it was revealed by the reporters. Also as long as I know most of the American and ppl of other countries did NOT know it was hand synching during the inaugration. Most of them knew it on the 2nd day via the media. It is so similar to the Chinese Olympics.
And also about the 'substitution'. There is no comparison at all and this should not be the advatange of the US strategy over the Chinese one. Because there is completely NO substitution in the Olympics. One was the singer and the other was the performer. It was clearly stated in the catalog. The American way is too much worst. If the musicians are afraid of the quality and the incident why NOT just play the tape directly? You know, anyway in the Olympics everything you saw and heard were true! The singer was truly singing and the performer was truly acting. However in the inaugration the muscians were playing music but you were hearing the tape!
Both of them claimed that they did them for the perfection. I think if the show are not aimed at itself(for example a concert) but aimed to help promote the mood of a certain big event, some sort of acting could be accepted.
Actually in China may ppl think that the lip synching way of Olympics is bad and foolish. Because the girls may suffer from the disccusion of the surroudings. Many ppl are wondering why not find a pretty girl with good voice? Some believe that it might be very difficult to find one due to the incredible pressure of Olympics.
I agree with the 'pressure theory'. I think it would be too crucial for a little girl of 8 to bear such pressure. From this angle it was a smart and humane way to find 2 girls to have one show. One was in charge of acting not worrying about the voice and the other could calmly sing behind. The intension was thus scattered.
From this 2 event I come to the conclusion that the Chinese ppl have very high standard of moral while the American have relatively low moral standard because the American just take everything for granted.