In China Live, Mike Chinoy provides an insider's view of two of the most important forces shaping our era—the rise of global satellite news and the rise of China. Exploring not only how events shape television, but how TV can shape the news as it unfolds, Chinoy describes his personal and professional journey through key political dramas, from armed conflict in Northern Ireland, Lebanon, Indochina, and Afghanistan, to the “people power” revolution in the Philippines and the ongoing crisis in North Korea.
The core of the book is Chinoy's lifelong involvement with China. As CNN's first Beijing bureau chief, Chinoy recounts a riveting tale of covering the China beat, especially the momentous events in Tiananmen Square in 1989. CNN's unprecedented live broadcasts of the student uprising and army crackdown marked a turning point in modern journalism and played a critical role in shaping international perceptions of China. China Live remains a compelling account of the life of an award-winning foreign correspondent and a revealing glimpse inside the world of television news.