Even as China's leaders promise a more liberal future for the country, they are suppressing those who would tell the truthThe year began with journalists from China's Southern Weekly striking because their paper had spiked a leader calling for constitutional protections for individual liberty at the behest of the local propaganda chief – and replaced it with an article praising the Communist party. It ends with the New York Times and Bloomberg, having dared to publish details of the stunning family wealth of the country's outgoing prime minister and incoming president, fearing that the one-year ban on new journalist visas to both organisations may be continued.This is life in a one-party state, a running battle between a party apparatus fearful for its legitimacy and journalists whose craft necessarily involves disclosing information that the party would rather nobody knew. The practice of journalism in China, a country where 30 practitioners are in prison, has never been easy. During 2013, it has become a great deal harder.A new anti-rumour law makes spreading "defamatory" information on the internet that "harms the national interest" punishable with three years' imprisonment if there are more than 500 re-posts or 5,000 internet viewers. Ren Xianliang, vice-minister of the State Internet Information Office, declares that the control of "rumours" has been "quite effective", "slander" is in decline and the flow of information is more " orderly". He is creating "cyberspace... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
In early March, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued a major ruling, invalidating reduced value-added tax (VAT) rates on ebooks in France and Luxembourg. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The European Court of Justice has ordered France and Luxembourg to restore their standard VAT rates on ebooks in a ruling announced today (5th March). The court upheld a decision previously made by European Commission, which ruled that the two countries cannot charge the same VAT rate on ebooks... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
February's notable reviews of self-published titles include stars for a 'startling' memoir about the Vietnam War and a 'fascinating' exploration of human rights. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The government is suppressing official advice over press regulation, according to a report in the Sunday Telegraph.It says that the culture and media department (DCMS) is refusing to disclose a paper which "is thought" to set out advice on whether the government-sponsored royal charter breaches... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Even as China's leaders promise a more liberal future for the country, they are suppressing those who would tell the truthThe year began with journalists from China's Southern Weekly striking because their paper had spiked a leader calling for constitutional protections for individual liberty at... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2013-12-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Fashion legend says: 'The living deserve respect. The dead deserve the truth... this will be my story'Doyenne of British fashion Dame Vivienne Westwood, credited with inventing punk style then bringing it to the catwalk, has sold rights to an autobiography. It will be co-written by Ian Kelly,... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2013-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 18/05/2011 - 14:45 The French National Assembly yesterday (17th May) voted into law a bill allowing publishers to fix prices of all ebooks sold in France. The text says that retailers inside or outside France must respect the fixed prices.... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this