Strategically Communicating

After the first round of the 2016 presidential debates, China was forcefully brought to the forefront of American politics. Jesse Watters, Fox News correspondent, went to New York City’s Chinatown to gauge Chinese political opinion. Watters’ segment in Chinatown aired Oct. 3, so I thought it would be perfect for News Engagement Day.

In an attempt to get a diverse range of perspectives I spoke to people from several different communities.

Pon was the most tolerable of the video, and suggested the best course of action would be to ignore the content and publisher.

“Small mind small talk a chance of Small fun,” she said. “Be confident and take the high road.”

While she didn’t dismiss Watters’ report, her position of tolerance was admirable.

The rest of the people I spoke to were a little less forgiving, with responses ranging from “unprofessional” to “simply not funny.”

I had a hard time finding someone who supported the segment, and those I usually go to for far-right opinion said they hadn’t seen it, and didn’t want to participate.

It’s likely their response is due to either my delivery or perceived bias, though I suspect it may be the latter, because I intentionally focused on the fact that Watters went to Chinatown to gauge Chinese political opinion.

Another possibility may be that the segment’s popularity and increasing response made it a difficult subject to comment on, due to expected responses to their opinion, despite offering anonymity.