Anti-CNN to drop name, change identity

• Source: The Global Times
• [20:50 May 25 2009]
• Comments

Limited-commercialization

Anti-CNN's aggressive identification and rebuttal of perceived bias in the international media once saw millions of daily hits, with as many as 150,000 people registered members within half a year of its foundation, according to its official website.

As daily page views dropped from a peak of 10 million to about one million today, the site's future direction has never been clearer, said Rao Jin.

"Anti-CNN will focus on fighting against biased reports rather than discussing national issues, and while slander is forbidden, rational debate will be welcome," he said.

In his eyes, financing was still the biggest problem. "If we had the money … we could reshape the website very quickly," he said.

It is not unusual for successful websites to evolve toward commercialization. An example is grass-roots website Zuguo.com, where editorial differences between investors and operators lead to its closure at the end of last year.

Cui said he was "very cautious" about commercialization. "I don't want to see the future development of the website in others' hands," he said.

"Once we daubed the courage on our forehead," a Web user "Shen Hongtao" wrote on the bulletin-board forum. "We inscribed logos on our chest and raised the totem of patriotism highly, but now, how should we show the sincerity and fidelity to our country?"

"If we received donations, then we would prefer to be an NGO (non-governmental organization) or foundation," said Rao. "But whatever form it takes, we'll still stick to our goal of being a non-governmental platform with international influence."

A veteran of the dotcom venture world, nuclear physics major Rao made his fortune with Cesky but his attention now appears focused on the media industry.
 
"A lot of netizens, leftists or rightists, consider the website a weapon, but I prefer to understand it as a communication platform," he said.

After several revisions, the site's homepage has taken on a more somber hue, with a rather more rational strapline: "We're not against the international media, only against their biased reports."

Rao said, "We will continue talking to the west objectively and reasonably with a communicative desire."

The classic content of attacking bias in foreign media reports would be preserved in a special "Anti-bias" channel, said Rao.

This is not the first time "commercialization" has reared its controversial head at Anti-CNN. As early as April last year, the company stood accused of exploiting patriotism for profit.

"When I first read these kinds of critics online, I was very depressed," said Rao. "I even wanted to quit. But now I am very determined that what I am doing now is a righteous career, no matter what form it takes."

Anti-CNN had never been used to make money, he said.

"I've invested hundreds of thousands of yuan into this website, all of which came from the profits of my own company, and so I am clear in my conscience and I'm well prepared for any criticism."

As a website born through a vital clash of ideas, Professor Yu concluded Anti-CNN suffered from no shortage of character.

"But its role as a grass-roots, communicative, sometimes counter-attack platform will still be important in the next five to ten years. It just needs to aim for a deeper, more rational basis."