針對溫州動車慘劇，中共中央宣傳部連發通知，指令媒體網站統一口徑，引起國內一些媒體反彈抗議，包括中央電視台主持人白岩松在內的主播和大牌明星，紛紛公開講出真話、表露真情真性，而當局發言人和所謂「共和國脊樑」的冷漠，遭到網民們一片質疑。
7月27號，《南方都市報》發表社論指出，這些天來，公眾的質疑與洶洶怒火始終難以止息，龐大體制的傲慢與驕狂依然，死難者人數不應成為欲蓋彌彰的秘密。
浙江《錢江晚報》27號頭版頭條撤下全部稿件，只有廣告，對中宣部的指令表達了抗議。《天涯社區》的網友說，這是「史上最強的錢江晚報」。
李大同(中國青年報《冰點》周刊前主編)：【「中宣部它不能一手遮天，它沒有這個能力，因為這是個大事，全世界都在動，這麼多網絡評論都在動，它能管得住嗎？管不住的！當局也不是傻子，真正的輿論是什麼它不是不知道。」
一向被稱為中共喉舌的《央視》，也出現了反彈。央視女主播秦方在播報倖存女童伊伊的新聞時，抑制不住的哽咽流淚，被網民稱讚「真情流露」。
24號晚，鐵道部發言人王勇平辯解說，掩埋車頭是為了便於搶險，還說「至於你信不信，我反正信了」。王勇平遭到網民們狂轟，這句話也成了網絡新諷刺流行語。
《央視》主播白岩松25號晚在《新聞1+1》節目中評論說：「一個多月之前我願意相信，但是現在我不敢信，不能信。」他指責中國高鐵「可怕的冒進」。
而貴州電視台的《欣聞非常道》主持人王欣也在25號的節目中，對事故的真相進行質疑。王欣斥責鐵道部說：「在你道貌岸然、溫文爾雅的面對鏡頭做出承諾的背後，有多少可恥的、臭不可聞的、血淋淋的、赤裸裸的腐敗。」
這個視頻目前正在網上熱傳，網民們盛讚主持人。
與此同時，《央視》「朝聞天下」主持人趙普，在微博中披露了《央視》記者的採訪艱難，他寫道：和現場近在咫尺卻不能近身一步，和警察幾乎肢體衝突。好多說不出的噁心、失望，鐵道部真的是破罐子破摔了，他們要幹嘛？
江蘇衛視《非誠勿擾》主持人孟非也在微博中寫到：災難面前，謊言是最大的魔鬼。車諾比事故發生後，前蘇聯當局隱瞞說是火災，民眾開始對政府極度不信任和幻滅。戈巴契夫承認車諾比是壓倒蘇聯的最後一根稻草。
一些大牌明星歌手也紛紛發表微博評論，表達憤怒。演員郭德綱作詞悼念溫州慘劇。演員姚晨以一名老火車司機女兒的身份，指責專家有關司機疲勞駕駛的說法「簡直混帳之極」。
演員歐陽奮強在微博中說：我們追求物質享受的時候，請不要遺忘了良心，敦請鐵道部公布遇難者名單，這些人簡直沒人性。
演員韓雪在微博中說：繼「紅十字會」後，鐵道部是又一個失去公信力的機構部門。演員伊能靜直言：「我先是一個人，然後才是藝人，我無法對他人生命冷感，因為我們都在其中！」
演員湯唯在微博上寫道：一個虛弱的政體，賣把菜刀都需要實名；一個冰冷的政府，遇難人數出來都是高度秘密。
演員葛優在微博上寫道：死一個大一點的領導，就有無數的花圈，而死了幾百個百姓，只有不停的和諧。目前，葛優和湯唯的微博已遭到「和諧」。這是否是他倆人的官方微博還有待考證。
而獲得「共和國脊樑」之稱的倪萍、李雙江、劉蘭芳等人，卻沒有一個對動車慘劇發表看法，引起網民們一片質疑。中國「互動媒體集團」總裁洪晃在微博中，批評這些「共和國脊樑」是選擇奴役、愚昧、毫無原則的生命。
Regarding the reporting on the recent high-speed rail tragedy,
the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Propaganda Office
released notices, instructing all media to follow the official script.
This caused protests from some mainland media.
Many show host and stars, including CCTV host Bai Yansong,
came out to speak the truth.
The indifference shown by the official CCP spokesperson
draws doubts from netizens.
On July 27, China’s Southern Metropolitan Daily published
an editorial saying that in recent days,
the doubts and anger of the public spread like wildfires.
The pride and arrogance of the regime remain the same and
the actual number of victims should not be kept a secret.
Zhejiang’s Qianjiang Evening News took out headline news
on July 27, and replace them with advertisements,
protesting against the instruction from the Propaganda Office.
Netizens said on Tianya forum that
this issue was the 「best Qianjiang Evening News in history」.
Li Datong,
ex-editor of China Youth Daily’s magazine 「Bingdia」:
The CCP Propaganda Office cannot cover up the truth.
It doesn’t have the capability to.
This is big news. The entire world is watching.
Many websites are reporting about it.
How can the CCP control that? It cannot!
The regime is not stupid.
It knows what the real public opinion is.
Even the official CCP mouthpiece CCTV rebelled.
CCTV’s female anchor Qin Fang started crying,
while broadcasting the news of an infant girl survivor Yiyi.
She was praised by netizens as 「showing her true nature.」
On July 24, Ministry of Railways spokesman Wang Yongping
said that burying the train cars was to facilitate rescue.
He even said, 「Whether you believe or not,
I believe that is the case.」
Wang was later heavily bombarded by netizens,
and his sentence has become a new online satirical phrase.
CCTV news anchor Bai Yansong said on the program
「News 1+1」 on July 25,
「I wanted to believe (Wang’s statement) a month ago,
but now I don’t believe and I cannot believe.」
He accused China’s high-speed rail as a 「terrifying rush.」
The Guizhou TV host Wang Xin also expressed doubts
regarding the official statement.
Wang Xin accused the Ministry of Railways,
「How much shameful, stinking and bloody naked corruption
is behind your superficial calm and gentle appearance?」
This video is now widely circulating online,
drawing praises of Wang Xin from netizens.
Host of CCTV’s show 「Hear the World」, Zhao Pu,
revealed on his micro-blog the difficulty for the reporters.
He wrote, 「They were right next to the crash scene,
but are not allowed to get closer.
They were almost in physical confrontation with police.
So much disgust and disappointment.
The Ministry of Railways is so terrible.
What do they want to do?」
Jiangsu TV’s show host Meng Fei wrote on his micro-blog,
「Faced with tragedy, lies are the biggest devil.
After Chernbobyl, the former Soviet Union lied,
causing people to extremely distrust the government.
Even Gorbachev acknowledged that
Chernobyl was the last straw for the Soviet Union.」
Some big name stars also commented on their micro-blog,
expressing their outrage.
Actor Guo Degang wrote lyrics mourning the victims.
Actress Yao Chen is the daughter of a train driver.
She said that the lies about the train driver’s fatigue
were 「just outrageous.」
Actor Ouyang Fenqiang wrote on his micro-blog,
「While pursuing material comfort,
please don’t forget your conscience.
I urge the Ministry of Railways to announce the list of victims.
These people (Ministry of Railways) are simply inhumane.」
Actress Han Xue wrote on her micro-blog,
「After the 「Red Cross」 incident,
the Ministry of Railways is another institution to lose credibility.」
Actress Annie Yi said,
「I’m first a person, then an artist.
I cannot ignore other people’s lives,
because we are all part of it.」
Actress Tang Wei wrote on her micro-blog,
「A weak form of government,
buying kitchen knives requires registration;
an icy-cold government,
even the number of victims is top-secret.」
Actor Ge You micro-blogged,
「If a higher-up official dies,
there are countless flowers;
when hundreds of people die,
there is constant harmonization.」
As the micro-blogs of Tang and Ge were forced to shut down,
it is uncertain whether they really blogged the comments.
Jiao Guobiao (Former Professor at Peking University,
School of Journalism and Communication):
Even media professionals like Bai Yansong
and artists like Ge You spoke out.
This means the regime’s actions are extreme atrocious.
Many other CCP-backed stars such as Ni Ping,
Li Shuangjiang and Liu Lanfang, all remained silent.
They are questioned by doubtful netizens.
The president of China Interactive Media Group Hung Huang
criticized these so-called 「backbones of the Republic」,
as ignorant slaves that lack principles.
