The only first hand coverage of the courtroom comes from official photos, news anchors and cameramen are relying on tweets from Weibo to provide commentary.
Censors are stuck with a difficult balancing act - the Party needs to show that it's cracking down with swift and unerring justice on those who take bribes, but they need to create as much positive buzz around the trial as possible.
Comparisons with the Gang of Four trial have been inevitably drawn, with commentators noting that in that trial, proceedings were broadcast across the country, but Jiang Qiang took the opportunity to exploit the media coverage to her own ends. Given the large number of supporters that have gathered outside the courtroom, authorities were understandably reluctant to give Bo an open mike.
Events that attract massive amounts of public interest, both in China and abroad are a key part of the CCP's charm offensive. Maintaining a tight grip on the official media outlets to satisfy the Politburo that it's done a good job all round does little to inspire confidence in what should be a golden opportunity for a CCP reboot.
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