China's Media Moves into Times Square

Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of China, recently announced its final decision to move to 1540 Broadway. This major physical shift is representative of China's increasing globalization. Too long has China been a secluded country and only recently has it opened up its boarders to trade and commerce. Although Xinhua already had a headquarters in New York, this new office space will give the company a stronger foothold on the American media. Following along with this move on the U.S. mass media, Xinhua also announced that it would be producing an English-language channel. Perhaps they are hoping that this would be able to give China a voice in the American news media which had long been dominated by news channels like Fox who may not have portrayed China in a favorable light. If this is the case, then it is odd how China is seeking to extend its influence into American media but at the same time allows so little American news, websites, and opinions into their strictly monitored media network. Also, many people may be concerned about the influence Xinhua will have internationally and in America. The agency has long been criticized for its lack of credibility as well as for been a puppet of the Chinese government.