China blackmails foreign media

Source: 20 Minutes
Editor’s Note: Take with a large grain of salt, Natl Endowment for Democracy sponsored report.
With its growing global weight, the regime in China wants to influence also the coverage of his country. A new report shows how foreign media organizations are used by Beijing under pressure to refrain from critical reporting.
Restricted not only the work of foreign correspondents in the country itself, but increasingly influence exerted on media companies in the world, is available in the report of the Center for the media assistance (CIMA), the national funded by the U.S. Congress Foundation for democracy (NED) about the “long shadow of Chinese censorship” (PDF, in English), which was released on Wednesday.
“China factor” on editors
The report speaks of “subtle” methods to cause self-censorship or to interact with advertising partners, owners of media organizations or international actors. It is called “systematic efforts” to signal commercial partners that their media operation in China was at risk, if they cooperated with “unpleasant voices”  or it would out to censor them, showed in the study of the Center for international media assistance of organization of National Endowment for democracy.
The attempts to exert pressure with the growing political weight, had increased in the past five years in extent and nature». “The dynamics is insidious, but the reality is that the “China factor” in message centres around the globe exists», wrote author Sarah Cook. Hot iron were Tibetans, Uighurs, dissidents, the cult movement banned in China, Falun Gong or challenges for the Communist one party rule.
New York Times and Bloomberg under pressure
As China’s Ambassador to the United States have want to hold the news agency Bloomberg of, reporting about the richness of the relatives of the new heads of State and party Chief Xi Jinping. That was similar to New York Times asked not to write about acquiring billions Chinese guide families.
Nevertheless, both published reports. But their websites in China has since blocked, which they must accept commercial losses. Also, their journalists had problems with visas.
In China itself, the report that local authorities or security forces always more often also forcibly denying access to interview partners foreign correspondents and intimidated their sources or employees complained.
Correspondent Club is illegal
The foreign correspondent Club (FCCC), which is considered as an “illegal organization”, was forced to take reports of such incidents from his Web site. 2012, Two correspondents had to leave the country.
Outside the country, Chinese diplomats attempted to exert influence directly on senior editors. Media came in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Chinese-language publications from abroad especially under pressure, when they pursued economic interests in China.
Conduct will rewarded with economic incentives, according to the study. Critics, however, have suffered reprisals. One-third of Hong Kong journalists have conceded 2012 self-censorship in a survey.
(kmo/sda)