China has for the first time permitted official media websites to report news but retained monopoly over the media by omitting popular private social media portals like Sina which has millions of users.
Press credentials were granted to the employees of news websites on Friday, giving interview and reporting rights to online media.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) issued press cards to the first group of 594 reporters from 14 “major central news portals,” including the authorised Chinese government portal, official websites of People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency and the portal for Tibet.