Maria Repnikova writes on Chinese media versus the censors

Maria Repnikova has written an article for the Wall Street Journal (14 January) on recent protests held by workers of the Southern Weekly newspaper in Chinas Guangdong province.

The protests arose from Guangdong's top censor disapproving of a Southern Weekly editorial, and eventually publishing his own in its place.

"It is also important to note the docile attitudes of other Chinese media outlets during this incident," Maria writes. "Traditional media remained silent, while journalists didn't organize any support."

"It remains to be seen whether this incident will embolden more Chinese media to protest against censorship, as some journalists on social media argue it will, or whether it will force them to censor themselves. The protest by Southern Weekly may be an unusual case of Chinese journalists' resistance to censorship, but it isn't a new dawn for freedom of speech or rebellion against the Party."

The full article can be read by Wall Street Journal subscribers by clicking here.

Maria has also written an article on this for the Politics in Spires blog, entitled 'Media in China: Though sometimes driven to protest, China’s journalists remain committed to working within the political system', which can be read here.

Maria Repnikova is a doctoral candidate in politics at Oxford University. She is writing her dissertation on state-media relations in China.