China May Fine News Media to Limit Coverage

The Chinese government has long held power over media, but the controls were typically informal and not written into a law. A proposal from the Standing Committee of the legislature, however, would fine media outlets for reporting “sudden events” without prior authorization from the government. The government has not yet defined “sudden event,” but analysts expect that local officials will apply broad interpretations so as to protect themselves. People who love news expect timely, complete coverage of big events, and so some media organizations may risk fines to deliver these stories to their audiences. Other media groups may appeal fines in the courts. Conflicts could emerge between government bureaucrats and court officials over control of the media. With more than 100 million Chinese accessing the internet, keeping “sudden events” a secret could well be impossible. – YaleGlobal