Chinese Newspapers and Investigative Reporting in the New Media Age

Drawing on fieldwork at the Beijing News, this paper examines how emerging economic pressures facing newspapers, the increasingly draconian political climate under the new leadership, and the development of new media challenge Chinese investigative journalists. In order to remain competitive, the investigative reporting unit of the Beijing News has reshuffled its organization and readjusted its reporting strategy. The paper concentrates on the interplay between political and economic factors in defining the context of Chinese investigative journalism. It argues that studies of Chinese journalism should not only consider the enduring political control that trammels journalistic practice, but also pay attention to the impact of other factors, notably technological developments and economic pressures.