The Chinese government has intensified its control over the country's news media since Xi Jinping became president in March last year, reports the Washington Post.
Its domestic journalists risk getting fired and even jailed for their work. Censorship has been stepped up. And new restrictions require them to seek permission before meeting foreign reporters and business people.
The Post article says that towards the end of 2013, Chinese reporters "were forced to attend ideological training meant to impart the 'Marxist view' of journalism and to pass a multiple-choice examination on their knowledge of the Communist Party's myriad slogans."
Chinese journalism schools have been told that a "provincial propaganda official" will be appointed in a senior management role at every institution.
The paper cites experts who say the Beijing government is alarmed about the growing impact of social media and the way in which critical stories can spread around in an instant.
Xi, in a speech last August, said: "We have to make sure the front of the internet is firmly controlled by people who are loyal to Marxism, loyal to the party and loyal to the people."
Rare examples of liberalism, such as the act of defiance against censorship by reporters at Southern Weekly last January, led to increased controls by the authorities.
Financial journalists tell of stories being deleted, especially if they touch on companies owned by high-ranking party families. Some companies bribe local propaganda officials or use their political influence to shut down negative reporting.
Corruption has become endemic, says the Post's report, with journalists and media groups accepting bribes to withdraw critical stories or to plant negative news about the briber's political or commercial rival.
Source: Washington Post Reported by guardian.co.uk 15 hours ago.
Its domestic journalists risk getting fired and even jailed for their work. Censorship has been stepped up. And new restrictions require them to seek permission before meeting foreign reporters and business people.
The Post article says that towards the end of 2013, Chinese reporters "were forced to attend ideological training meant to impart the 'Marxist view' of journalism and to pass a multiple-choice examination on their knowledge of the Communist Party's myriad slogans."
Chinese journalism schools have been told that a "provincial propaganda official" will be appointed in a senior management role at every institution.
The paper cites experts who say the Beijing government is alarmed about the growing impact of social media and the way in which critical stories can spread around in an instant.
Xi, in a speech last August, said: "We have to make sure the front of the internet is firmly controlled by people who are loyal to Marxism, loyal to the party and loyal to the people."
Rare examples of liberalism, such as the act of defiance against censorship by reporters at Southern Weekly last January, led to increased controls by the authorities.
Financial journalists tell of stories being deleted, especially if they touch on companies owned by high-ranking party families. Some companies bribe local propaganda officials or use their political influence to shut down negative reporting.
Corruption has become endemic, says the Post's report, with journalists and media groups accepting bribes to withdraw critical stories or to plant negative news about the briber's political or commercial rival.
Source: Washington Post Reported by guardian.co.uk 15 hours ago.