China Blocks CNN’s Coverage on Censorship Issues
A recent segment of Elex Michaelson’s The Story Is on CNN offered an immediate glimpse into the realities of media censorship in China.
During the broadcast, CNN correspondent Mike Valerio, reporting from Beijing, discussed the stringent topics that prompt the Chinese government to impose censorship. “We’re being watched right now,” Valerio explained, stating that any content deemed problematic would trigger color bars and a message saying, ‘Please stand by.’
Valerio monitored the network’s China feed during the conversation with Michaelson, noting that while the signal to the U.S. might continue, he would swiftly recognize if the feed to China was interrupted.
He then touched on President Trump’s strikes in Iran, suggesting that many in China view those actions favorably. Moments later, Valerio announced with surprise, “Anddd we’re being censored right now, just so you know. Color bars are up.”
Despite the interruption for Chinese viewers, the broadcast for U.S. audiences continued smoothly. Michaelson expressed his astonishment at the censorship, stating, “So I just asked a question about how the Chinese censors work, and the Chinese people that were monitoring that decided we do not want people to hear that and they started to censor that discussion. Wow, that’s amazing.”
Later in the program, Michaelson inquired if the network had resumed broadcasting in China. Valerio confirmed it had, but as the discussion progressed, he quickly noted, “Oh…apparently we’re not.”
The network subsequently displayed its China feed to U.S. viewers, prominently featuring color bars alongside a message stating, “No signal please stand by.”
👀 Watch how this works:
As soon as we discuss Chinese censorship live on @CNN, China censors our broadcast feed to the entire country.
They put up color bars reading “no signal please stand by.”
When that discussion with @ValerioCNN wraps, @CNNTheStoryIs is back on air. pic.twitter.com/jco4t2yuYL
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) March 17, 2026
