In the most recent exchange between Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and NBCUniversal, Scott is calling on the network to support human rights after noting a double standard in the network’s decision not to air next year’s Golden Globes over diversity issues but to continue with plans to air the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, China — despite the network’s own reporting on China’s human rights abuses.
In a statement on Tuesday, Scott said that “NBC’s own reporting has detailed the horrors faced by Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the genocide being committed against them by the government of Communist China. Yet this American network continues to turn a blind eye to Communist China’s atrocities when it comes to allowing Beijing to host the 2022 Olympic Games, apparently preferring instead to give General Secretary Xi a platform to whitewash his horrific crimes with the grand spectacle of the 2022 Olympic Games.”
Last month, the Republican senator sent a letter to leaders of the network “urging them, once again, to condemn oppression and stand for human dignity by declining to air the 2022 Olympic Games unless they are moved out of Communist China,” per Scott’s official website.
In his May letter, Scott pointed out that NBCUniversal decided against airing the 2022 Golden Globe Awards because of “concerns about a lack of diversity among the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.” Scott added that he saw this move “as an opportunity for your company to take a real stand in support of human rights” by refusing to air the 202 Olympic Games unless they are moved to a different location and out of “Communist China.”
Scott referenced the human rights horrors that have been committed against the Uyghur population in the Xinjiang province including concentration camps where the ethnic minority is tortured, imprisoned, and enslaved. He also discussed the crackdown on the rights and liberties of the population of Hong Kong and China’s moves to ensure that no elected authorities in Hong Kong will speak out against the Chinese Communist Party.
Scott concluded, “If NBCUniversal is actually interested in standing against real oppression, public relations stunts aren’t enough. NBCUniversal must use its influence to stand for the rights of Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Hong Kongers and refuse to air the games until they are moved to a nation that respects human rights.”
Phil Tahtakran, NBCUniversal’s head of government affairs, recently responded to Scott’s May letter, writing that the company believes that politicians are best positioned to “use the various diplomatic and other tools available to the government to address human rights matters globally.” He also noted that the network has no role in choosing host cities for the Olympic Games.
He said that “Refusing to air the Games to a U.S. audience would only hurt Americans: Team USA Olympians and Paralympians, many of whom have trained for much of their lives to compete in a single Games, who would be denied the opportunity to shine in front of family, friends, and fans; and the U.S. audience, who would be deprived of the opportunity to cheer on and take pride in the athletes who represent our country.”
In his statement on Tuesday, Scott asked, “If NBC is willing to cancel the Golden Globes to support racial diversity, why can’t they take a stand for human rights and demand the relocation of the 2022 games?”
He conceded that “a boycott is not the answer. Boycotting the Olympics only hurts our athletes and their families. But cowering to the Communist Chinese government is inexcusable,” adding that “NBC has a responsibility to take a stand with me and the many human rights groups around the world in demanding change to hold Communist China accountable.”
The back-and-forth between Scott and NBCUniversal is the most recent example of the willingness of media companies to take a stand on human rights that seem to be beneficial and popular with their audiences. The subject of boycotting the Olympics games has been a contentious issue over the past year as China’s horrifying human rights abuses continue to be revealed.
Last month, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called on the Biden administration and other world leaders to carry out a “diplomatic boycott” of the Beijing Olympics instead of an entire boycott, “allowing athletes to compete but barring Biden administration officials from traveling to witness the Games in person,” as reported by The Daily Wire.