February 23, 2024
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Free press needed at Olympics

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Another earthquake has rocked China just before the start of the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

This 6.0 shaker hit an area on Aug. 5 just after the Olympic torch passed through on its way to the games.

Some irony can be seen in that. But the real irony is that China’s new media may not even report much on that event let alone other events that happen outside Olympic stadiums.

The Communist government has turned its security dial up to high so as to preserve order, but it has also tightened its grip on the country’s own media.

The government is essentially using the threat of terrorism and mayhem as a reason to restrict freedom of the press.

Granted with so many security patrolmen, it is unlikely that protests the size of those in Tiananmen Square almost a decade ago will be seen.

But if they do occur, the international news media will likely be the only ones providing a window in.