Mainland media regulator bans journalists from sharing information
Mainland media regulator bans reporters from sharing unpublished material, including 'state secrets', on the internet or with overseas media
The mainland's media regulator has issued a directive banning local journalists from privately revealing any information they obtain during the course of their work.
The regulation would in effect ensure information is reported only after going through the tight censorship process.
In a notice issued by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television dated late last month but only posted on the department's website yesterday, some journalists were criticised for violating state-secrets laws and disseminating "confidential" or other undisclosed information through the internet. It also said some reporters had passed "unpublished" reports to overseas media; this includes Hong Kong media.
Mainland reporters, who work under heavy censorship, sometimes pass on information they are not allowed to pursue to overseas media.
Outspoken independent journalist Gao Yu, 70, has been in criminal detention since April for allegedly leaking a confidential Communist Party document to overseas media last year.
According to the directive, the rules cover information, material and news that journalists may deal with during their work, "including state secrets, commercial secrets and information that has not been publicly disclosed".