Photos of an astronaut emerging from China's first space capsule to circle the earth were forged. The reality is that a design flaw meant higher G's on reentry so the proud cosmonaut emerged bloodied, with blood in the capsule. The People's Republic of China (Mainland China) thought nothing of cleaning up the astronaut and his capsule and then re-staging the emergence "live" and making that reality, instead of live honest coverage.

This is an example of the difference between a free press and a controlled media.

The reason, given freely in a lecture to future Chinese "journalists" revealed that news is defined as what is best for the people and the state, not what really happens. It is about how history is captured and how people feel more than truth.

This is the country we are in cozy business relationships with, with Corporate America in love with the potential market and China in love with investing in the US and leaving us in their debt.

How far off is our corporate and ratings driven media from this Communist China model?

A story in the Friday's New York Times.