From Reuters via Scotsman:
China is considering fines for media outlets which report emergencies without authorisation, a Chinese newspaper reported on Monday, reaffirming the Communist Party‘s control over the flow of news.
The draft law would also fine news outlets that “illegally” report the handling of emergencies, the Beijing News said.
Government agencies already tightly control the release of information on emergencies, and unauthorised attempts to report such incidents have led to lengthy jail terms for stealing, or leaking, state secrets. [Full Text]
– See also NYTimes’ “China Weighs Fines for Reports on ‘Sudden Events’“
– See also “An Audacious Assault on Press Freedom” from the Non-Violent Resistance blog.
– See also “Suddenly Breaking Incidents in China” from ESWN, which includes a translation of a column on this topic in Southern Metropolis Daily.
– See also Report: Chinese media could face fines for reporting on emergencies by The China Post.
– See also Draft bill: Breaking news stories to be illegal by Danwei.
