Tuesday, April 29, 2014

China Cancels Big Bang Theory

By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:

We have known for a long time that China wants to control the internet within their borders.

The reasoning goes like this: If you can control the flow of information you can control the truth and limit access to resources and alternative views. You can prevent real communication and organization. And you can control the culture that people are exposed to.

The internet represents freedom. And China is flexing its muscles.

Chinese youth watch TV through the internet and the most popular shows on Chinese television are US shows. The shows are viewed on sites like Shohu TV, Youku and iQiyi. Yesterday China yanked several US shows off the internet. The government forced them to pull, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, NCIS and The Practice.

One can probably find an ideological reason for pulling the shows - except for The Big Bang Theory. It is a harmless comedy about socially awkward academics guys who share an apartment. Why yank
The Big Bang Theory?

My only answer is the great success and popularity of the show. So far the series has been viewed 1.3 billion times in China. Do the calculation - almost one view for every person in China. And that means the people are not watching the tepid boring communist shows.

The Big Bang was cut because too many people were watching it. And now Chinese viewers are up in arms and have taken to the internet to plead their case.

We shall see what happens.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com 

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