inter:digital strategies

It looks like the United States isn’t the only nation where there’s a growing complaint about media censorship. Recently, a dozen former Communist Party officials and scholars publicly denounced the closing of a prominent news journal. The letter did not mention the internet, but openly criticized the value of the continuing policy of censorship.

From the New York Times:

At the turning point in our history from a totalitarian to a constitutional system, depriving the public of freedom of speech will bring disaster for our social and political transition and give rise to group confrontation and social unrest,” the letter said. “Experience has proved that allowing a free flow of ideas can improve stability and alleviate social problems.

The individuals involved in this open letter of complaint include Li Rui, Mao’s secretary and biographer, Hu Jiwei, a former editor of the Communist Party’s official newspaer, Zhu Houze, a former propaganda chief, and Li Pu, a former deputy head of the Chinese press agency.

The impact that people with this kind of party connections, prestige, and history may have is worth watching. As the pressure against Chinese censorship grows from within China and in the international community, this may see a significant change.

Got a little off topic here - but these things just keep leading together!