Communist China Censorship Crackdown: Media Companies Prohibited from Reporting News Online
Bloomberg News reports that China has just banned the media companies, Sina Corp., Tencent Holdings Ltd., Sohu.com Inc., and NetEase Inc.news, from reporting news on the Internet.
In addition to censorship, the government will start reporting “news” itself.
The Chinese government’s Cyberspace Administration has banned several major news outlets from reporting news online without first receiving its approval. And, if they fail to comply with China’s censorship, they will receive severe financial penalties.
Why are these companies being censored? Because, Bloomberg reports:
… these companies have “seriously violated” internet regulations by publishing online news content “obtained through original reporting.” The Chinese government prohibits “original news reporting” because news reporting causes “huge negative effects.” Additionally, these companies were ordered to “dismantle ‘current-affairs news’” from all online mobile devices.
Tencent, Bloomberg News reports, is Asia’s largest Internet company with a growing news team. It was the first company the Chinese government censored, and now all of the other companies cannot publish any news without government approval.
Consider that in 2016 China, news companies cannot publish news reports without first receiving government approval.
All news is now government-controlled, whether it is print or online media. The Chinese government has “near-absolute control over online news and political discourse,” Bloomberg reports, “in keeping with a broader crackdown on information increasingly distributed over the web and mobile devices.”
In other words, the Chinese media can only report what its dictator, President Xi Jinping, approves that “must serve the interests of the ruling Communist Party.”
Bloomberg reports this crackdown on the media is likely due to Xi’s move to “cement his power base” and “silence dissenters” ahead of next year’s party congress. In addition to censorship, Bloomberg reports that the Chinese government, to gain more control of its media companies, are seeking to put government officials on Internet providers’ boards. While on the board, government officials would also get a license to publish news.
Under Xi– the government would censor what news companies report– and publish and distribute news itself.
Bloomberg reported that not one organization responded to inquires about the report. In fact, no one would respond to inquiries. Not Sohu, Tencent, Sina, NetEase– even the cyberspace administration refused to comment.
This is communism– state controlled media. No freedom of the press. No freedom of opinion that differs from the Communist Party. No freedom to discuss with non-Chinese media companies.
Complete control of information and the media is one of the hallmarks of Communism. Is America far behind?
Article reposted with permission from Constitution.com
