Nov

China’s new regulations could hinder investigative journalism, media veteran feared

Media veteran feared China’s new regulation on news reporting could stymie the country’s investigative journalism.

Internet activist and media veteran Wen Yunchao said: “the new regulation is not easily enforceable, but it can be used as a sharp sword to stymie the media. Stories like the Watergate, there could not be a second source.”

China’s press and publication regulating body recently published several new regulations on preventing false news and governing journalists.

The new regulations require journalists to produce more than two news sources when covering negative stories of the government and ban the use of unverified online or mobile information.

The new regulations also give authorities rights to revoke press cards of serious violators. Journalists who severely breach the regulation can be barred from working in media.

News outlets are required to make corrections and apologies for any false report, and serious violations could lead to the suspension or even the revocation of their license.

There are worries that the new regulations could violate the National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010) published in April this year by hindering journalists’ rights to report, criticize, comment and publish.

“The human rights action plan is for foreigner to read and can’t be taken serious,” Mr Wen said, later adding that “the current theme is tightening control.”

Mr Wen said the enforcing of the new regulations came as a result of the growing influence of the internet.

“The other background is that traditional media had now been led by the new media and had followed the new media too closely on reporting unexpected incidents,” he said, adding that the government thought the trend to be undesirable for the over-all harmony of the country.

The government has begun intensifying its control since this July’s high speed train crash accident, in which heated online public debates baffled the authority.