What Does China Think of American TV?
A CNET reporter asked people in China what they thought about various American companies like Google, Yahoo, and IBM. Even though it's not a company, they were also asked what they thought of American TV. I liked the answer:
Bring it on. 24, Lost and Prison Break are all big and viewers know how to get around government restrictions. Such restrictions may loosen up, however. The government is contemplating plans that would let racier content in legally, but only for certain age groups.
This is a great example of how freer trade with China brings with it more openness and more democracy. What's particularly interesting is that they like 24. The most recent season showed the leading character, Jack Bauer, returning from China after being brutally tortured by its government. The antagonist during the last few episodes was also a Chinese official.
Being a fan of the show, in my view, you simply cannot watch 24 without strongly rooting for Jack. Therefore, I can't imagine that this show would be popular in China if its portrayal of the Chinese government was grossly incorrect. That speaks well of the people's desire for more democracy and capitalism and the wealth that goes with it.
