What is being blocked?

Recently, audiences in Ningbo, Zhejiang found that the Hunan TV channel disappeared. In this regard, local Radio and Television Department’s response is the "landing contracts end." However, according to a reporter’s investigation, the true reason Ningbo stop broadcasting Hunan TV Channal is that Ningbo is "practicing of local protectionism", and the "overcharge of Hunan Satellite TV Station”. As the news was published, a big argument burst on line. Although couples of days later, the two parties refuted the “rumors” and shake hands with each other, there are some other means if we think deeper in this case.

Nowadays in China, the word “Blocked” (封杀)is very popular. If you search it in the Baidu, which is the hottest search engine in China, you can find nearly 20 million related websites. But obviously, the meaning of “Blocked” is opposite to the spirit of “Openness” that we are looking for.

Whether a country is prosperous or not depends on what kind of rights do the citizens have. Speaking of the benefits of opening up, I always can not help but think of the European Union. After opening the borders, the EU countries did not lost a single inch of territory but “expanded”. Similarly, for the television consumers, if 100 stations open up to each other, the local residents would not lose the local station, but gain more.

The viewers’ against to the blocking is based on their own interests, because if you block a channel, it is not only blocking the programs, but is also blocking the audiences - just as you are blocking a book in the extreme times, it is not only blocking the author who wrote the book, but is also robbing the rights of the entire community to read it. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why this issue has brought such a big argument on the internet. Although people are getting used to the word “blocked” in various cases, the inconvenience caused by different “blocked things” would still stimulate their nerves.

The banning order in Ningbo let me think of the power of indulgence.Obviously, there are some “equally reasons” for this kind of "blocking imaginary". In the past several years, many outstanding movies such as "alive" and "the enemy is coming" were blocked for some reason or unspoken rules.

Being specific to the television consumption, as we all know, under the current television monopoly management system, the relevant local governmental departments always try to protect the interests of the local television stations that they are directly linked to, so that they can realize the interests of their own. The rulers spare no effort to tell their people the only way to lead a happy life is to focus on themselves, however, no one can say that they are serving the people wholeheartedly.

The case reflects the current plight of the cable television consumption. The only right of the audience is to control their own remotes, because the content of the programs are not controlled by the consumers but remotely controlled by the rulers. The consumers who are paying for the channels would never know when the programs is going to be changed or cancelled. For instance, in some places, the cable digital television is mandatory.

The competition in the political market is not only reflected by the immigrations between different countries, it can also be reflected by the capability of whether the citizens move freely within their own country- to vote with their feet. As Friedman said, "If I do not like the things done by the state I am living in, I can move to another state." Ningbo local radio and television department’s neglecting of public opinions is actually a kind of forcing purchases and sales, and what’s worse, in many places in China, this is undoubtedly becoming common.