media - How daring are the Chinese media?

Li Datong, the sacked editor of Freezing Point, has become in a short time the darling of many non-Chinese media, including this weblog. What he says is what we all like to hear. Danwei gives here a decent overview of all the recent media links and promises more on the internet media later today.
Li Datong argues that Chinese media have become more daring in saying 'no' to their governmental minders. Century China, fighting against their closure, seems to be a point in case, but that is not really part of the traditional media.
Although I would love Li Datong to be right, I doubt whether he is. He has lost his job, but all those who have not will probably vote with their feet and stay within the system. Traditional media will lose their appeal on their audiences much faster, as the online media become more attractive and are less restrained by governmental interference. So, I expect a shift, where the traditional media will lose in a big way because they are not daring enough to do their audiences a service.

Update: ESWN has a translation of Li Datong's latest article in the Apple Daily. He is (again) more optimistic than I am:

This shows the epochal progress of Chinese media. If the control is intensified, this only proves that the Chinese media are increasing their influence on society. This progress is slow and bumpy and represents gradual reform within the system. This reform is the necessary path by which China becomes a country with "freedom of press."