An article appearing in the CCP’s mouthpiece, People’s Daily, made some comments about the U.S. freedom of the press. “Even with the ‘protection’ of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and even though it is regarded as the ‘gold standard’ of America’s soft power, the so-called ‘sacred inalienable’ ‘freedom of the press’ that the U.S. government preaches is, after all, hypocritical.” As evidence, the commentary cited the Committee to Protect Journalists’ report which states that how the U.S. government dispenses harsh punishment to those who leak information and how it monitors reporters’ survey data poses a threat to freedom of the press.
The article stated, “The relationship of the U.S. government to the media has never been cool. Sometimes [the government] applies more ‘soft intervention,’ such as making up some hidden news for the media. Sometimes it imposes ‘hard monitoring,’ such as suppressing some media and reporters. Even more common is the use of both together. Such intervention and monitoring have never stopped and will not be reduced in the future.”
“Why is Washington so keen on exporting the concept of freedom of the press to other countries and even getting involved in promoting freedom of the press by itself? In addition to the consideration of adding the ‘superior system label’ to the United States, an important objective is to demonstrate the U.S.’s ‘political correctness.’ Once this so-called political correctness is combined with its powerful economic and military strength, it is not surprising [to see the U.S.] playing tricks, being preemptory, and using extortion.”
Source: People’s Daily, October 22, 2013
http://world.people.com.cn/n/2013/1022/c1002-23279889.html