Southern Weekly Editors Take on Chinese Censors NTDonChina

The battle over free press and media censorship in China is not new. But now, it's turned surprisingly public in southern China.

Six journalists from the Southern Weekly magazine made a formal complaint on Thursday against Guangdong's provincial propaganda chief. Another 51 former reporters who worked for the Southern Media Group want Tuo Zhen to step down.

The complaint is over an editorial that the magazine wanted to run on New Year's Day. But without the knowledge of the editors, Tuo turned the article calling for political reform into a tribute to the Chinese Communist Party.

[Zhu Xinxin, Former Editor, Hebei People's Broadcasting Station]
"The [editors] have been suppressed for so long. This massive re-edit of their piece is blasphemy for media independence. Its authorities cracking down on the media, actually, it's a brutal interference of the public's right to express themselves."

Specifically, Southern Weekly editors want an investigation into what they call a "serious violation of press publication procedures."

The issue has erupted on China's Twitter-like Weibo. Li Chengpeng, a writer and social critic has more than six million followers, wrote that Tuo Zhen's actions are no different than burning a newspaper.

But censors have also stepped in. "Southern Weekly" is already a blocked term on Weibo. Several of the magazine's staff also say their accounts have been locked.

Reposts of the letter calling for Tuo Zhen to step down are also being deleted.

Founded in 1984, the Southern Media Group has a reputation for its bold reporting. Though it is no stranger to run-ins with China's strict propaganda machine, the latest round is proving to be unusually bold, and its editors show no signs of backing down.

Southern Weekly Editors Take on Chinese Censors
202 views views	12,799 followers
1 Likes	1 Dislikes
News & Politics	Upload TimePublished on 4 Jan 2013
editors cancellation mark, editors guild, editors choice, editors band, editors keys, editors marks, editor\u0027s note, editors drape, editors cancellation mark crossword, editors job, editors park, editors keys sl600, editors for hire, editors salary, editors choice apps, editors in chief, editors take it out, editors pick, editors box winter 2018, editors pick wig, vh1 hip hop honors 2016 full show, vh1 hip hop honors 2016 lil kim tribute, vh1 hip hop honors 2016 watch online, vh1 hip hop honors 2016 lil kim, vh1 hip hop honors 2016 full show online, vh1 hip hop honors 2016 teyana taylor, watch vh1 hip hop honors 2016, watch vh1 hip hop honors 2016 online free