From BBC News:
China’s national press regulator has banned journalists and newspapers from accepting and extorting money in return for favourable news coverage.
“Local newspaper branches and their staff reporters are not allowed to engage in any extortion by threatening to expose inside stories,” said a circular issued by the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP).
The ban also applies to “paid news, forced subscription and forced advertising” in return for complimentary reporting, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported.[Full Text]