Two outspoken Beijing newspapers, the Beijing Times and the Beijing News, have been brought under the direct authority of the Beijing Propaganda Department. Previously, the papers were overseen by state-level propaganda authorities. Some reporters claim the move, which was announced to newspaper staff on Friday, is part of a wider struggle over control of the media in China. There is also the fear that the move may restrict reporters’ abilities to cover events in the Chinese capital and sensitive news from other areas.
