Media crisis spreads as row erupts over state meddling at Beijing News
Beijing News editor tries to resign as his staff confront propaganda officials forcing them to print article slamming Southern Weekly
Another respected mainland newspaper yesterday became embroiled in the row over editorial intervention by propaganda authorities, just as officials temporarily resolved a crisis at Guangzhou's Southern Weekly.
Controversy erupted at Beijing News when it was forced to reprint an editorial criticising the Southern Weekly, and saw its publisher, Dai Zigeng , verbally resign as editorial staff confronted propaganda officials. Sources said Dai's resignation was not accepted.
Journalists and people close to the paper said they were furious that Yan Liqiang , a deputy director of Beijing's propaganda office, went to its newsroom on Tuesday, demanding that the newspaper reprint the editorial, originally published by the Global Times on Monday.
The editorial said the controversy at Southern Weekly following alterations to its New Year's edition had been provoked by external forces that were pushing the mainland media to confront the government. It also questioned the credibility of open letters issued by the Southern Weekly's editorial department.
Many mainland newspapers reprinted the editorial on Tuesday, but several, including the influential News, did not.
Beijing propaganda chief Lu Wei was not in the newsroom during the confrontation but talked to Dai over the phone, and the two had heated exchanges on Tuesday night. Dai said the paper would not run the editorial and solicited the opinion of staff, who supported his decision. But journalists were later told the paper could either reprint the editorial or close down.