The Chinese government has put new regulations into effect on the distribution of news within China. All of the wire services must go through Xinhua or Xinhua authorized entities.
The new measures took effect immediately upon being issued by the state Xinhua News Agency. The regulations give Xinhua broad authority over foreign news agencies, requiring them to distribute stories, photos and other services solely through Xinhua or entities authorized by Xinhua.
The rules would affect The Associated Press, Reuters and other foreign news agencies seeking wider access to the rapidly expanding Chinese market. It was unclear how other news organizations would be affected.
Under a decade-old set of regulations, foreign news agencies were allowed limited distribution of financial data and other information — deals that the new rules appear to rule out.
The tighter restrictions underscore how the Communist Party's political agenda and Xinhua's business interests are coinciding.
We can already be pretty certain that the New York Times will preemptively surrender to these news blackout rules since they have already demonstrated their willingness to obey British laws they are not subject to (even when they misinterpret them). While being above US law, of course.
