¡°Mao is dead. And so is his China.¡±

[Randy W]

from the New York Times

 

Chinese Censors Have Kept Their Hands Off ‘House of Cards’

The new season of “House of Cards” focuses on a host of issues that would typically be regarded as sensitive by the Chinese authorities: cyber-espionage, currency manipulation, tensions between China and Japan in the East China Sea, and the extravagant and corrupt lifestyles enjoyed by the offspring of China’s revolutionary leaders.

 

Despite its heavy emphasis on China, however, the show did not undergo any censorship by government authorities before its release, Charles Zhang, founder and chief executive of Sohu, said in an interview on Tuesday. The episodes available online on Sohu, said Mr. Zhang, are no different from the American version aside from the addition of Chinese subtitles. Sohu has secured the rights to broadcast the first three seasons of “House of Cards.”

. . .

The absence of censorship for the Chinese broadcast of the series is somewhat surprising in light of the rigid scrutiny normally applied to other foreign cultural imports, such as films and books. Before “Skyfall,” the latest James Bond film starring Daniel Craig, opened in mainland China last year, censors demanded the deletion of a scene in which Bond kills a Chinese security guard and rejected an entire storyline about the film’s villain, played by Javier Bardem, being tortured by the Chinese authorities. Books, fiction and nonfiction, have also similarly been subject to stringent censorship processes before release in the Chinese market.

But so far, it appears that the censors have taken a relatively relaxed approach to the newer medium of online television show imports. As of Tuesday, Mr. Zhang said, Sohu had not received any censorship requests. Responsibility for censorship of online video content is shared by the ruling Communist Party’s propaganda department, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

 

 

[danb]

There was an similar story on this TV series on CNN. I look to see where it is available on American TV. So far I haven't found it. So far it seem to be only available thru Netflix's. I wonder if we can access Sohu in the states?

 

In that CNN article it stated: "Some analysts are surprised by the government's largely hands-off approach to video streaming sites, but caution that it may not last.

"New media is allowed to develop with less interference than older forms where there is already a structure in place," said Jeremy Goldkorn, a long-time Beijing-based observer and commentator on Chinese media. "It's going to be regulated just like any other media, especially if it becomes big enough, powerful enough and popular enough."

For now, Sohu is focusing on broadening the appeal of "House of Cards," scrambling to add Chinese subtitles and bombarding visitors to its website with banner ads.

Sohu users have clearly noticed.

The series' latest and original seasons now occupy the top two spots in Sohu's chart of most-watched American TV shows. Season 2 has been clocking almost three million views a day -- impressive for a complex story that requires a deep understanding of U.S. politics." Seems like it is a popular show in China. Has anyone seen this TV series yet. Danb

[Randy W]

It's a Netflix production. Apparently, they're starting to produce their own content.

[dan1984]

Finishing up watching the third season of Shameless currently. After that definitely looking forward to season 2 of House of Cards, the first season was amazing!

Showtime, HBO, WWE, NBA, and so many over the air tv shows (Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, and dozens more) are now working directly with Sohu, Youku, Tudou, and other Chinese YouTube-esque websites to directly license their products legitimately - as opposed to the streetside vendors selling fakes.

I'm watching more U.S. tv shows here in China than I ever did when actually back in the U.S., pretty weird!

Also, really really convenient to watch with your significant other, as their are Chinese subtitles - great way for them to practice their English.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Mao's regime was falling apart even while he was alive. Then, Deng Xiao Ping said it was cool to be rich and the people agreed and went for it. So much has changed since those days that today you can actually travel about and have far less chance of being hasseled by the police than you would in the US. Just another provocative headline meant to piss off the commies. They turned the Mao page long ago

[Randy W]

Mao's regime was falling apart even while he was alive. Then, Deng Xiao Ping said it was cool to be rich and the people agreed and went for it. So much has changed since those days that today you can actually travel about and have far less chance of being hasseled by the police than you would in the US. Just another provocative headline meant to piss off the commies. They turned the Mao page long ago

 

 

The headline is

 

from the New York Times

 

Chinese Censors Have Kept Their Hands Off ‘House of Cards’

 

The quote at the top of this page (“Mao is dead. And so is his China.”), which is an example of something the censors have left alone, is from the TV show itself

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

 

Mao's regime was falling apart even while he was alive. Then, Deng Xiao Ping said it was cool to be rich and the people agreed and went for it. So much has changed since those days that today you can actually travel about and have far less chance of being hasseled by the police than you would in the US. Just another provocative headline meant to piss off the commies. They turned the Mao page long ago

 

 

The headline is

 

from the New York Times

 

Chinese Censors Have Kept Their Hands Off ‘House of Cards’

 

The quote at the top of this page (“Mao is dead. And so is his China.”), which is an example of something the censors have left alone, is from the TV show itself

 

 

I read the thing and think it's a waste of paper to assume that the Chinese care what the New York Times writes or is said in the TV show.

Edited February 24, 2014 by ExChinaExpat (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

 

Mao's regime was falling apart even while he was alive. Then, Deng Xiao Ping said it was cool to be rich and the people agreed and went for it. So much has changed since those days that today you can actually travel about and have far less chance of being hasseled by the police than you would in the US. Just another provocative headline meant to piss off the commies. They turned the Mao page long ago

 

 

The headline is

 

from the New York Times

 

Chinese Censors Have Kept Their Hands Off ‘House of Cards’

 

The quote at the top of this page (“Mao is dead. And so is his China.”), which is an example of something the censors have left alone, is from the TV show itself

 

 

I read the thing and think it's a waste of paper to assume that the Chinese care what the New York Times writes or is said in the TV show.

 

 

Especially so when you realize that it's blocked in China, and they don't deliver.

[griz326]

 

There is no denying the bad of Mao's leadership, but what emerged from the good of it was a focused population ready to take advantage of the opportunities made available by Deng and his policies. Mao was probably a necessary step from a feudal society into what is very nearly a free society today.

 

Having been an early visitor to Deng's China, I am happy for the people. But I must confess that I preferred the early Deng China to modern China, although modern China is better for the people. It is my opinion that China will become increasingly free in the years ahead because it will benefit China.

 

That's not to say that China will ever be free as Americans think of it, but China will be free.

 

Keep in mind that China's leadership is trying to maintain a harmonious society even as wealth and greater freedom is available. There is/will be considerable envy that comes with wealth for some which was less obvious in the older times. Achieving a harmonious society with 1.3 billion plus souls does require careful governance. With good fortune for the Chinese, the once heavy, often brutal hand will become simply a guiding hand.

 

I frequently have greater faith in the good intentions of the Chinese government than our own - despite the well-known and widespread corruption. Never in history have the lives of so many improved so much in such a short time. Of course, the winds of change are highly variable. Hopefully the wind will continue flow gently in a positive direction.

[tsap seui]

Griz, that is a great post. With your trips starting from much longer ago in the past you have a much earlier, and longer insight into the changes in China than many of the rest of us.

 

China is continuing to evolve and change, maybe not as quickly as many arrogant western boors endlessly postulate and post online that they should, but, they are getting there. America sure

wasn't built up over night. LOL

 

tsap seui

[Randy W]

There is no denying the bad of Mao's leadership, but what emerged from the good of it was a focused population ready to take advantage of the opportunities made available by Deng and his policies. Mao was probably a necessary step from a feudal society into what is very nearly a free society today.

 

Having been an early visitor to Deng's China, I am happy for the people. But I must confess that I preferred the early Deng China to modern China, although modern China is better for the people. It is my opinion that China will become increasingly free in the years ahead because it will benefit China.

 

That's not to say that China will ever be free as Americans think of it, but China will be free.

 

Keep in mind that China's leadership is trying to maintain a harmonious society even as wealth and greater freedom is available. There is/will be considerable envy that comes with wealth for some which was less obvious in the older times. Achieving a harmonious society with 1.3 billion plus souls does require careful governance. With good fortune for the Chinese, the once heavy, often brutal hand will become simply a guiding hand.

 

I frequently have greater faith in the good intentions of the Chinese government than our own - despite the well-known and widespread corruption. Never in history have the lives of so many improved so much in such a short time. Of course, the winds of change are highly variable. Hopefully the wind will continue flow gently in a positive direction.

 

 

Yes, I agree. A well thought out post. Mistakes are made, things are done which don't always accomplish their goals, but by-and-large, I believe the Chinese government DOES have what, in their view, is the best interests of the country in mind. And I believe that there are enough checks and balances within the Communist Party itself to ensure that that will always be the case, even where we couldn't have any direct knowledge.

[Randy W]

from the NY Times

China Uses ‘House of Cards’ as Illustration of West’s Corruption

 

 

So, is the United States really that corrupt? The answer is a resounding yes, and, for that matter, so are other Western countries, according to an article posted this week on the website of the Chinese Communist Party’s top corruption investigation group, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

 

. . .

 

Western countries conceal corruption by giving it a veneer of legitimacy, Mr. Zhao says. American laws, for example, allow interest groups to make campaign contributions to political candidates. Lobbying is not only supported by the United States Constitution, but is seen as expressing the very essence of political activity under democratic ideals. Mr. Zhao also says that Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index “clearly carries ideological bias” because it is financed by Western developed countries.

 

Without discussing in detail government abuses in China or the country’s anticorruption campaign, Mr. Zhao concludes that China is different from Western countries and thus that continuing on the anticorruption road with Chinese characteristics is the only “correct way” to curb corruption.