A documentary that follows the journey of two of China's first citizen reporters as they travel the country chronicling under-reported news and social issues stories.
Inspired by a search for truth and the potential for fame, a young vegetable-seller from Hunan province challenges the boundaries of free speech by reporting on censored news stories in cities throughout China. And from the bustling streets of Beijing, a middle-aged writer sets off to make sense of his past by riding his bicycle across the mainland, documenting the struggles of villagers deep within China's countryside. Armed with laptops, cell phones and digital cameras, Zola and Tiger Temple travel the country as independent one-man news stations while learning to navigate China's evolving censorship regulations and avoiding the risk of political persecution. High Tech, Low Life captures the untold story of these citizen reporters and the achievements of a fearless new digital generation.