{"id":9508,"date":"2011-07-04T05:07:39","date_gmt":"2011-07-04T05:07:39","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2011-07-04T05:07:39","modified_gmt":"2011-07-04T05:07:39","slug":"Radiohead-tests-China-s-tightly-controlled-Web","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=9508","title":{"rendered":"Radiohead tests China’s tightly controlled Web"},"content":{"rendered":"

The outspoken British rock group Radiohead<\/strong>, which has been critical of China’s human rights record, appears to be testing the country’s censored Internet by opening a Chinese microblog account<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Tens of thousands of people have begun following a verified account in the name of the Oxford-based band<\/strong>, which was set up on Friday on Sina Weibo<\/strong>, the most popular microblog site in the country where censors block Twitter.<\/p>\n

“Testing the Weibo,”<\/strong> reads the only message posted on the account.<\/p>\n

That message was forwarded by more than 10,000 people, drew nearly 4,200 comments<\/strong> and had attracted almost 60,000 followers today.<\/p>\n

Many Chinese Radiohead fans said they hoped the account was a sign that the band might be planning their first concert in mainland China<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“I wish I could see you in my lifetime,” one fan commented.<\/p>\n

However, a tour seems extremely unlikely in China, where Beijing must approve all bands before they perform<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

An official green light would be unlikely for Radiohead, who have played Tibet Freedom concerts<\/strong> and supported jailed democracy activist Liu Xiaobo, the winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Chinese authorities have become even more cautious about allowing Western music acts to perform since Iceland’s Bjork closed a 2008 show in Shanghai by shouting “Tibet!”<\/strong> at the end of her song “Declare Independence”.<\/p>\n

Oasis abruptly cancelled planned shows in China in 2009, saying the government had blocked them over guitarist Noel Gallagher’s performance at a Tibet Freedom concert in 1997<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Many Weibo users questioned whether the account was genuine, perhaps because of Radiohead’s politics.<\/p>\n

Band representatives could not be reached on Monday to confirm the account.<\/p>\n

A Sina spokeswoman, however, told AFP the account was genuine.<\/p>\n

“The account is verified so it is true. It’s even recommended in our entertainment news feed,” she said.<\/p>\n

Source AFP<\/em>
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