the the opening of more than 800 confucius institutes and classrooms like this one in george mason university in virginia where people can study chinese language and culture. but is cctv free, independent journalism? is it news? >> it looks and spells like state tv. it doesn't really strike me as it being different just because there's a studio in washington. i think it's still propaganda. >> reporter: phillip cunningham has lived on and off in china for over three decades working as a journalist for various western news organizations. he's appeared on china central television talk shows in beijing more than 100 times. >> you know, in a lot of ways, cctv-washington is an active imagery. it sounds like the news, you have the chit-chat "over to you" and the remote cameras and stuff. it looks like a western news product. but the add, the hidden agenda, the political commissars who examine and help control the daily news and what the topics will be are not working for the sake of letting chips fall where they may. they're working for the greater reputation of china. >> reporter: this theme, that journalists are supposed to echo guest line, was spelled out by the president of c