Top CBS, NBC Shows Ignore Case of Actual Journalist Being Jailed by Actual Dictator

Curtis Houck
February 11th, 2026 1:04 PM

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On Monday, pro-democracy newspaperman Jimmy Lai was sentenced to two decades in prison by the Chinese Community Party-controlled Hong Kong judiciary, a tragic development for the 78-year-old Catholic whose Apple Daily paper was shuttered in June 2021 by authorities as the Chinese Communist Party regime formally seized control of the previously-semi-autonomous city state, using a national security law to render it indistinguishable from mainland China.

Sadly but perhaps unsurprisingly, this development of an actual journalist being jailed for the crime of supporting free people and free ideas — not to be confused with former CNN host-turned-internet provocateur Don Lemon — was of no interest to the flagship broadcast network morning and evening newscasts on CBS and NBC.

ABC wasn’t much better with only one segment on Tuesday’s Good Morning America, leaving ABC’s World News Tonight, the CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings, NBC Nightly News, and NBC’s Today as having chosen not to cover it

The Good Morning America segment began with co-host George Stephanopoulos saying “the regime is under fire for putting an outspoken pro-democracy activist behind bars” with Secretary of State Marco Rubio slamming Lai’s sentencing as “unjust” and “tragic.”

Hong Kong-based correspondent Britt Clennett — who was also raised there — showed courage to report on Lai’s sentencing:

This morning, outrage as one of China’s most vocal critics, Jimmy Lai, is sentenced to 20 years in a Hong Kong prison, the harshest sentence ever under the draconian national security law. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio now calling Lai’s sentence an “unjust and tragic conclusion to this case.” The 78-year-old who is also a British citizen, has already served more than five years in prison, most of it in solitary confinement. His family heartbroken, calling the punishment “practically a death sentence” given Lai’s age and health issues. 

She then carried a soundbite from Lai’s son, Sebastian: “My father was stoic. And my father even managed to flash a smile because he didn’t want to give in to those bullies.”

Adding he “was convicted this past December” (which none of the broadcast networks covered on their lead shows), Clennett explained she spoke to Lai “at his home while he was out on bail in 2020.”

In a small clip, Lai broke down in tears as he spoke to her and alluded to his Catholic faith: “I came here with $1. Escaped from China when I was 12. This priest gave me everything. My reward is to pay back. It’s my redemption.”

“Now, Lai’s son says the way his father stood up for freedom and defended his people should resonate with Americans, and he hopes Lai’s case will be on the agenda when President Trump visits China in April,” she concluded.

As for CBS, they technically acknowledged it on Monday’s CBS Evening News....as a scrolling headlines during a commercial break (see photo on the right.

NBC couldn’t even do that. In their case, they mentioned it numerous times on their free, ad-supported TV station (FAST), NBC News NOW.

In one instance, they had a report from Beijing-based foreign correspondent Janis Mackey Frayer:

To their credit, PBS has had multiple segments about Lai on both Amanpour & Company and News Hour (as seen below):

To recap, the elite media and Bluesky Brigade-supporting press spent days screeching about authoritarianism in America because Don Lemon was indicted on charges for his role in violating the First Amendment rights of St. Paul churchgoers, but have scant attention on someone likely to die in a CCP jail for running a newspaper committed to holding the Hong Kong government to account and embracing the city’s formerly democratic values.

And, as we noted here, Daily Wire’s Mary Margaret Olohan was the only White House reporter to bring it up during Tuesday’s press briefing.

To see the relevant ABC transcript from February 10, click “expand.”

ABC’s Good Morning America
February 10, 2026
7:14 a.m. Eastern

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Chinese Pro-Democracy Activist Sentenced to Long Prison Term]

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Overseas now to China, where the regime is under fire for putting an outspoken pro-democracy activist behind bars. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the 20-year prison sentence for media tycoon Jimmy Lai unjust and tragic. Foreign correspondent Britt Clennett has the latest.

BRITT CLENNETT: This morning, outrage as one of China’s most vocal critics, Jimmy Lai, is sentenced to 20 years in a Hong Kong prison, the harshest sentence ever under the draconian national security law. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio now calling Lai’s sentence an “unjust and tragic conclusion to this case.” The 78-year-old who is also a British citizen, has already served more than five years in prison, most of it in solitary confinement. His family heartbroken, calling the punishment “practically a death sentence” given Lai’s age and health issues. Lai’s son Sebastian saying his dad remains defiant.

SEBASTIAN LAI: My father was stoic. And my father even managed to flash a smile because he didn’t want to give in to those bullies.

CLENNETT: The media mogul was convicted this past December. The government claiming he and his co-defendants used Lai’s now shuttered Apple Daily newspaper to harm China. I interviewed Lai at his home while he was out on bail in 2020.

JIMMY LAI [in 2020]: I came here with $1. Escaped from China when I was 12. This priest gave me everything. My reward is to pay back. It’s my redemption.

CLENNETT: Now, Lai’s son says the way his father stood up for freedom and defended his people should resonate with Americans, and he hopes Lai’s case will be on the agenda when President Trump visits China in April, Robin.

ROBIN ROBERTS: Oh, appreciate your reporting there, Britt, thank you.

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