Boycott of Chinese TV programmes

It is, of course, not illegal per se, but as a form of resistance that involves an open gesture of defiance towards the state, the recent letter by a group of 20 Chinese academics and lawyers calling for a boycott of state television news programmes is interesting. The criticism of Chinese state TV's bias is particularly stinging because the Chinese authorities so often accuse Western media of being biased. Interestingly, the letter itself could not be publicized in the media because of censorship, although it was picked up by Chinese websites via the US. The letter is published at a time when China increasingly uses paid "internet commentators" to influence public debate in the country and put a positive, party endorsed spin to events.