Blogging in China??

As we have been discussing in this class trying to get information about a particular event is best done when you view a number of sources. I decided to look into citizen journalist covering the Beijing Olympics. Many blogs are covering this popular topic but not as many as I had hoped to find writing from inside China. There are a number of them being updated on a regular basis but I never seemed to find one that I felt was comprehensive enough. It is well known China is not a country known for its freedom of expression and blogging is not any different. ‘Bloggers’ have lost their jobs in China based on what they have wrote online, such as ex-policemen Wu Youming



One of the early blog supporting websites in China, Sohoxiaobao, is currently shut down.

(See Article Here).

When I googled their site and used the google translation key the following text came up:

"SOHO tabloid network temporarily closed notice

Because of a lack of self-discipline of individual netizens in the tabloid published a blog of sensitive information, and public opinion does not match demand, resulting in SOHO tabloid network was temporarily closed, we are the procedures to apply for the lifting of the ban.

Is suspended, all data are well-preserved, time to resume the use of a separate notice to inform, Thank you for your understanding and support!

At the same time, let us care for SOHO tabloid from the desire of network, especially in the Olympic Games, cautious statement, the law prohibited release of information.
SOHO tabloid network

July 18, 2008"

There were a few blogs that I was able to access that had information but to get a full story of the situation in China (for the Olympics and beyond) those blogs needed to be paired with news agencies to get a fuller picture. It would also help if I was able to read Chinese as many of my findings were a language I can not read. One site that, I think, is of interest:

Beijing Olympics Fan