(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-08 14:38

Road ahead

From hushing up natural calamity fatalities to a step-by-step transformation of media rules, China is on track, but it needs to stay the course. As many say, "more needs to be done" for media freedom.

At the 17th CPC National Congress, reporters had unprecedented access: interview requests were promptly handled, news conferences were held, and some panel discussions were opened to the press.

But journalists still complain that they haven't got all they want.

"It's true that we got a lot more access than in the past. But it was still difficult to get substantive reporting. We still didn't know what was going on behind the scenes, and it was impossible to get interviews with top officials," FlorCruz said.

Meanwhile, foot-dragging and meddling are still major hindrances. The latest instance of media interference was reported in August, when five Chinese journalists covering a bridge collapse in central Hunan province that killed more than 40 people were roughed up by local officials.

"Some of them were unaware of the new rules, or pretended not to know about it...they must also abide by the spirit and the letter of the new rules," said FlorCruz.

Just before Journalists' Day, which falls on November 8 each year, China's General Administration of Press and Publication, the press regulatory body, released a notice reiterating that "lawful news coverage is protected and should not be interfered with or hindered by any organizations or individuals".

"Few local officials view the media as tools for 'positive and helpful propaganda', and refuse investigative reports and media oversight," Zhan Jiang said.

"They need to change their concept and realize that journalists are not, as the Chinese saying goes, 'frightening floods or beasts'", he said.

Zhan said he supports more legal protection for journalists.

He said he was cheered by the report delivered by President Hu Jintao's pledge at the 17th CPC National Congress in guaranteeing "the people's rights to be informed, to participate, to be heard, and to oversee."

"The report sent an encouraging signal, and I believe 2008 will be an important year for more progress in media freedom," Zhan said.

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