Steady anchor

Caught On CCTV!

Since then, Maher has been reporting on events ranging from the Beijing Olympics to the Shanghai World Expo, and from the tragic earthquake that shook Sichuan province in 2008 to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 last year.

Maher's appearance on the state-run TV station drew both praise and criticism.

In the book, he recalls accepting an interview from The Los Angeles Times in 2007. When answering the question: "What do you say to those who describe you as a mouthpiece for the Chinese government?"

Maher shot back: "I don't care if that's what they say. My job is to read the news as clearly as I can", which in hindsight he thought was a bit rash because it drew much flak from the paper's readers.

Still, as he tells China Daily: "I couldn't change the structure of broadcasting in China. But we have to acknowledge that over the years, the door has opened so much wider, and we are now able to report stories that wasn't possible when I first came here."

As a foreigner, Maher had always wanted to see a military parade in China, and was optimistic in 2009 when New China celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding. But he learned that the viewing point at Tian'anmen Square was not open to the public, and the chance to be invited was slim.

Before resigning himself to watching it on TV, Maher made his last attempt: He called the Beijing Municipal Government and explained his wish. Two days later, Maher received a phone call from the government's Foreign Affairs Office, and he asked if he would be invited to watch the parade.