Authorities ban news about fatal New Year’s Eve trampling in Shanghai

After the New Year’s Eve trampling in Shanghai which killed at least 36 people and injured more than 40, the Shanghai Municipal Communist Party Committee Department of Propaganda issued an:”Urgent Notice Regarding the Shanghai Waterfront Fatal Stampede Incident” demanding that no websites run this as lead news and prohibited linking this tragedy to the government’s anti-corruption campaign.

A netizen called this into question: “According to news reports, Shanghai’s Propaganda Department declared that “without exception, the waterfront fatal trampling incident can’t be lead news, and is prohibited from being linked to the anti-corruption campaign.” They also demanded the deletion of all content promoting regional prejudice, and news seizing an opportunity to attack the Communist Party, government and socialist system. May we ask the 36 people who died in a public incident, why this can’t be lead news? And what kind of self-confidence fears the Communist Party and government system being attacked?”

Below is the detailed announcement content:

Shanghai Municipal Communist Party Committee Propaganda Department urgent notification regarding Shanghai fatal trampling incident:

Web sites must strictly control news sources. They can only use authorized central and Shanghai Municipal news organizations as news sources. Commercial networks are strictly prohibited from carrying their own coverage. Chinese Twitter, WeChat, social network websites are strictly prohibited from carrying self-produced news or foreign news. Incomplete and inaccurate eyewitness reports are prohibited. Also prohibited are exceedingly violent and bloody on-scene photos.

2. All websites must abide by the prohibition against running this as headline news.

Strictly prohibit linking this incident with the anti-corruption campaign, resolutely delete any regional prejudice, information containing ill-intentioned attacks, resolutely delete content attacking the Communist Party, government and social system.

Yesterday evening there was an unexpected incident, all media workers must promptly accord with this announcement.

http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2015/01/201501021147.shtml