As China navigates the murky waters of a 'third way' with liberal economic policies under a strict political regime, the surprising battleground for China's future emerges in the country's highest rated television network - China Central Television, or CCTV. With 16 internationally broadcast channels and over 1.2 billion viewers, CCTV is a powerhouse in conveying Chinese news and entertainment. The hybrid nature of the network has also transformed it into an unexpected site of discourse in a country that has little official space for negotiation.