Two suspects in the murder of Li Xiang, the Luoyang TV reporter now famed for exposing those engaged in the illegal manufacture of swill oil (reprocessed cooking oil dredged from gutters), have now been apprehended. Captured suspects, 24-year-old Zhang Xiabao, a recent jail releasee, and an unnamed local farmer are now being tried for the brutal stabbing murder and laptop robbery of Xiang during his walk home from a KTV sessions in the wee hours of the morning of September 18. However, the question still remains whether Xiang's murder was a hit ordered by the gutter oil underworld or the heinous result of a coincidental robbery gone bad. Xiang's former future wife (the date was set for October 1) had little insight to offer on the subject, simply stating, "Will people who don't understand the situation please stop reposting, and twisting a lot of facts. Please wish that (Li Xiang) walks a good path, thank you everyone." more ›

Zhang Zhi'an, professor with Fudan University's school of journalism, and Dr Shen Fei of Hong Kong City University's department of media and communication, compiled the first report covering mainland investigative reporters. In this they found that most of them are planning to quit in the near future, as they suffer from "burnout over intimidation". more ›

Yes, we know reporters from Caijing get beat up and writers for Southern Weekend sometimes tend to disappear, but even newspeople from government mouthpiece Xinhua can't seem to get their legal rights protected. In an article on Global Times, Liu Meng writes about reporters who were investigating a case of illegal land use. more ›

When sent to cover possibly the driest, most pre-scripted nightmare of a political session in the world, what role does the Chinese reporter play? Coverage on the sessions is pre-drafted for mass consumption already, and unless they're looking to capture flashy minority outfits or an assemblage of hard-faced old men, there's not much else to see. So instead, young, ambitious journalists descend on the sessions in a mass of frenzied star-chasing (追星, Zhuīxīng). CPPCC members attract the lion's share of attention, as the larger legislative body pulls people from every industry including entertainment, sports, and music. Above you'll find a taste of the stars of the show this year so far (captions translated from Netease, for the most part.) more ›

As if we needed any reminders that being a journalist in China is tough, ESWN (possibly blocked now) has helpfully translated a Southern Weekend interview with Xie Chaoping, a Chinese author who was arrested after publishing a book accusing local authorities in Shaanxi province of embezzling funds meant for relocating residents around the Sanmenxia reservoir project. He was accused of "illegal trading," and was only finally released ten days ago. Of his experience in jail and being interrogated, Xie admits he's become more fragile, "I cry whenever I hear the words "steam bun." I cry whenever I think about my wife. I can never forget the look in my wife's eyes when she rushed out to see me being taken into the elevator. All the bitterness and sorrow of the world were there." more ›

“站稳立场 屁股决定脑袋.”
"Stand your ground firmly. Your bottom decides where your brain is." more ›

Though Deng Yujiao, the 21-year-old waitress accused of killing a government official, may have been saved by the flurry of internet postings in her support, the same netizen fervor may be making it dangerous for reporters to get the full story. more ›

Next week marks the first anniversary of the Great Sichuan Earthquake, which flattened entire towns in the province on May 12th last year. To try to ensure that next week passes harmoniously, local police in Chengdu have already started rounding up foreign reporters who might want to interview parents who lost their children in the quake. more ›

Two Japanese reporters Shinji Katsuta of Nippon Television Network Corp, and Shinzou Kawakita of the Tokyo Shimbun were briefly apprehended, beaten by police and forcibly taken to a border police facility while they were in Kashgar trying to report on the deadly attack which killed 16 policemen. After a protest by the Japanese government, the Kashgar police and the local foreign affairs department apologised to the Japanese reporters. Austin Ramzy of Time Magazine was also in Kashgar, and reports that he was on the same flight with a man that had lost his lower right leg and was strapped to a stretcher that flight attendants say was one of the border guards injured in the attack. This video, filed by Ramzy, shows the area around the police station where the attack took place. more ›