Media in China

Media in the People's Republic of China is controlled. Information about social and political conditions in the country is considered a state secret[?] thus criminalizing[?] communication or publication of accurate information.

At the same time government control of information can be remarkably ineffective. Despite government restrictions, much information is gathered either at the local level or from foreign sources and passed on through personal conversations and short text messaging. The withdrawal of government media subsidies has caused many newspapers (including some owned by the Communist Party) in tabloid to take bold editorial stands critical of the government, as the necessity to attract readers and avoid bankruptcy has been a more pressing fear than government repression.

In addition, the traditional means of media control have proven extremely ineffective against newer forms of communication, most notably short text messaging.

See also:

• Chinese Central Television
• Internet in China