Abstract
First, China as a growing power in the world is a country which fuels many observations and issues. And as a student in political science I need to learn more about the Asian miracle and obviously what the main obstacles remain in the Chinese race to modernity. Then, we had the opportunity, during the course of International Journalism, to listen to a presentation by a PhD student (in communication) from China, who seemed to have a very balanced opinion about the media in his home country. Finally, I've just watched a very good documentary directed by Anthony Thomas called "The tank man" (2006), which deals with the media in China and the freedom of the press. The Banff World TV Festival rewarded that documentary in 2007. The Chinese government continues the privatization of the media and maintains its severe repression of the reform oriented journalists. The newspaper industry, placed for the first time in competition, risks criticism, but the Propaganda Department, from the official agency Xinhua, supervises and sanctions. With at least 27 journalists held in detention, China was, on January 1st 2005, the largest prison of the world for the professionals of information.
