| Without getting in between some of the cross-fire, it is true that there is nothing like the kind of direct censorship of the internet and media that can be found in the PRC, in either the UK or US. Sure media groups have their own POVs or interests, but that's the nature of the beast- and at least the variety of opinions makes up for that in some respects. However the internet or bloggers aren't restricted very much at all.
If I had a blog, I could incite my fellow countrymen to protest out Downing Street about Blair's policies on anything - and neither would my blog be censored, nor would I punished in any way. If I did that in the PRC against Hu Jintao, my blog would be censored and I'd probably be arrested after a while. The British media can attack his policies without any retaliation - if a Chinese newspaper did to the CCP, it would be closed down. The BBC does an important job in trying to report on a wide range of issues, in a manner that the "common person" can understand and to challenge a government that has had little political opposition to its policies. It also has a good international reputation, so I think that you shouldn't be so hard on it because of a few experiences you've had. When one of my Chinese friends studied over here, she used to watch the news all of the time because she found the style liberating. Now that she's moved back she says she doesn't watch Chinese news anymore, because she realises how biased and boring it really is. |
BBC's Interview