China, Press Freedom and Censorship

A free press is important to the development of a society.  It allows for the exchange of ideas, holding public officials and other entities accountable for their actions, and a voice to those who don't have one. 

The Central Government allows such freedom when it's convenient for them.  When it's not, they do things like make all journalists learn the party line, censor them and the media outlet they work for (which manifests itself differently, from harassment to legal action to firing the journalist).   Most governments engage in some form of media damage control, however, the Central Government can't have it both ways, as the way this government does it, can be considered repression, manipulation, censorship in its extreme.

Now journalists are being forced to take an exam to make sure they understand quite clearly the Communist Party Line.

From Global Post: Chinese journalists face Marxist ideology exam

As mentioned above, governments do engage in damage control to varying degrees, however, the Central Government goes to the point to bullying foreign governments, media outlets, etc., to protect its image.


From CNN: How Chinese censorship is reaching overseas