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China to Control Reports of Foreign News Agencies

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the can't-stop-the-censors dept.

afa writes "According to Xinhuanet.com, Xinhua News Agency on Sunday promulgated a set of measures to regulate the release of news and information in China by foreign news agencies. From the article: 'Where a foreign news agency violates the Measures in one of the following manners, Xinhua News Agency shall give it a warning, demand rectification within a prescribed time limit, suspend its release of specified content, suspend or cancel its qualifications of a foreign news agency for releasing news and information in China, on the merits of each case.'"

2 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. Olympic schizophenia by 1u3hr · · Score: 4, Interesting
    With the Beijing Olympics in 2008, they're obliged to allow foreign news reporters virtually free access. But at the same time the old guard is deeply suspicious of foreign media. So you see opening on one hand, clamp down with the other. The country needs the Internet for business, but wants to lock it down to prevent free political discussion. Obviously self-contradictory policies like these can't work practically. In the long run, the media will be free, but in the short term, a lot of people could get ground up. For instance, several reporters, ethnic Chinese but usually foreign citizens, are in jail for long terms for "espionage", reporting "state secrets" for reporting economic statistics, or interviewing people the government would rather stay out of the limelight.

    As 2008 approaches, look for a lot of activity on this front.

  2. Re:Ironic by mcrbids · · Score: 4, Interesting

    When will people learn you can't control, regulate or do much of anything with the internet?

    They never will, because it's not true.

    What's that you say?

    At its heart, the Internet is simply a form of communication. All other forms of communication are regulated, why wouldn't the Internet? The fact that it's new doesn't mean that it's un-regulatable so much as the powers that be haven't regulated it... yet.

    Give it time. And then the "next big thing" will come along, and the Internet will be no more interesting than a ham radio today.

    --
    I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.