China newspaper in rare stand against censorship

BEIJING A dispute over censorship at a Chinese newspaper known for edgy reporting evolved Monday into a political challenge for China's new leadership as prominent scholars demanded a censor's dismissal and hundreds of protesters called for democratic reforms.

The scholars and protesters were acting in support of the newspaper in its confrontation with a top censor after the publication was forced to change a New Year's editorial calling for political reform into a tribute praising the ruling Communist Party. Rumors circulated that at least one of the newspaper's news departments was going on strike, but they could not be immediately confirmed.

CBS News' Shuai Zhang says the situation escalated over the weekend, as the newspaper's management apparently seized control of the paper's official account on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, which has almost 4 million followers in the vast country.

A statement was issued on the account claiming the controversial front-page editorial had been written by staff, and was not a forced alteration.

Editorial staff at the paper, called Southern Weekly, then used their own Weibo accounts to refute the fake message, and decided to stage a strike over the government's apparent hijacking of the account. The social media editor of the paper said on Wiebo that he had lost control of the newspaper's official account and that it was now being updated by the paper's management.

Shuai adds that if staff members do go on strike, it would be the first time in more than two decades that the editorial staff of a major newspaper had openly protested government censorship.

Protesters gathered outside the offices of the newspaper in the southern city of Guangzhou to lay flowers at the gate, hold signs and shout slogans calling for freedom of speech, political reform, constitutional governance and democracy.

"I feel that the ordinary people must awaken," said one of the protesters, Yuan Fengchu, who was reached by phone. "The people are starting to realize that their rights have been taken away by the Communist Party and they are feeling that they are being constantly oppressed."

The protest came as 18 Chinese academics signed an open letter calling for the dismissal of Tuo Zhen, a provincial propaganda minister blamed for the censorship.

The protesting scholars included legal professors, liberal economists, historians and writers.

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China newspaper in rare stand against censorship