This Chinese TV channel only shows 'good deeds'
China's so-called "Good Deed TV" is nice in theory, but the network is struggling to find viewers.
For people tired of hearing about terrorist attacks, shootings, and other tragedies, China has the Lei Feng channel, which focuses on selfless acts. The network, based in the city of Fushan, is named for a People's Liberation Army soldier who died in the 1960s.
"We want to see something about the brighter side of human nature, not darker issues such as murder or fire, so that we can feel better after watching," Shang Zeyou, vice-head of the station, told China Youth Daily, according to a translation from BBC News. Some of the channel's original broadcasting has showcased volunteers asking people not to jaywalk and a segment on littering.
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So far, though, the idea hasn't translated to success — Chinese sources report that most people don't know what the channel is, and those who do have it said that they don't want to watch local news.
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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
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