Clause restricting media during emergencies is dropped from draft

An emergency-response law expected to be endorsed by mainland authorities this month will not include a ban on unfettered media reporting of crises.

The National People's Congress Standing Committee read the draft law for a third time yesterday. It was advised by its legal panel to approve it. A clause banning unrestricted reporting was dropped in June.

A previous draft recommended that local governments have the power to fine media outlets 50,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan if they reported on emergencies without official approval or released false information.

The inclusion of the clause prompted widespread debate last year. Critics said it would infringe on the media's right to report the news, and would hamper the public's oversight of the government.

In the end, the Standing Committee decided that the media played a crucial role during emergencies by ensuring that important information was released to the public and governments acted with transparency.

Some critical legislators argued that local governments would use the ban indiscriminately, putting the public at a disadvantage if governments tried to cover up their activities or release false information.