Southern Weekly reporters to return to work after censorship stand-off
Southern Weekly journalists agree to end strike after outrage at censoring of stories, sources say, even as calls for press freedom persist
Journalists at Guangzhou's outspoken Southern Weekly newspaper agreed yesterday to return to work as Guangdong's provincial party chief stepped in to mediate a rare confrontation with the propaganda authorities over interference in its editorial operations, sources said.
A source close to the newspaper's editorial staff said that Hu Chunhua, a rising political star who took up his new position as the province's party secretary only last month, personally stepped into the talks between reporters and the management.
The stand-off would not escalate while the negotiations were continuing, the source said.
Another two sources, also close to the newspaper's editorial staff, said reporters decided to return to work after meetings with management yesterday.
Reuters also reported on Hu's personal intervention, citing a source close to the provincial Communist Party committee.
It said under Hu's deal newspaper workers would end their strike and return to work, the paper would print as normal this week and most staff would not face punishment.