The China Hand links to this Time Asia article on the success of chortals (Chinese Internet portals).

In a country still dominated by state-run media, chortals deliver what no one else in China does: edgy, cool�sometimes subversive�content. News, much of it reflecting poorly on the Party, tends to break first on the Net. Chat rooms buzz with risque flirtations. Dirty jokes abound. And chortals have taken advantage, successfully selling themselves as the best way to reach the young, affluent, educated consumers that advertisers crave. In the midst of a global advertising depression, the three chortals posted ad-revenue gains of between 9% and 22% during this year's third quarter.