Thursday, August 25, 2005

China/Journalism


The Australian: Reporters rebel on propaganda bonus

"Under a new incentive system for writers at the official China Youth Daily newspaper, 34-year-old chief commentator Li Fang was in line for top points for a recent fawning article in praise of Chinese President and Communist Party chief Hu Jintao."

"Instead, the article, and the bonus points system, has outraged Li's colleagues, left him soul-sick and desperate to leave, and laid bare internal tensions at the once-progressive newspaper as communist propaganda tsars attempt to haul it back into line."

"Journalists at the paper scored a rare victory this week. Editor-in-chief Li Erliang, brought in from the ultra-conservative People's Daily late last year after his more liberal predecessor was squeezed out, dropped his despised bonus points proposal."

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