Officials rarely used to criticize the media in the country, for they knew journalists played a constructive role in society. But times seem to have changed.

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A media official with the Ministry of Health has made himself known to every journalist, if not every citizen, overnight by threatening reporters that the ministry would blacklist those that publish or broadcast "phony" food-scare reports. By doing so, the official has made public the mindset of many officials vis--vis "trouble making" journalists.

The General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) stepped in on Monday to clean up the mess created by the official. The media watchdog announced that no organization or individual is allowed to stop journalists from doing their job or blacklist them. The GAPP conceded, though, that media supervision plays an indispensable part in promoting civil society and improving social management.

On Wednesday, members of the National People's Congress Standing Committee opened the issue of food safety to greater supervision by citizens, and suggested food safety level be upgraded to become part of national security.

Poor food quality raises some important issues on the relationship between the media and government organizations. Investigative journalism, though in its infancy in China, has made some officials uncomfortable. When reporters dig up the truth about social problems, some government departments and officials try to cover it up and blame journalists.

But the media are becoming a force for social good. Officials have realized that transparency is required during emergencies because journalists persistently filed detailed reports on the SARS epidemic in 2003.

The system to push back migrants to their home province - an arbitrary form of administrative detention - was abolished in 2003, because Guangzhou-based Southern Metropolis News carried the story of migrant worker Sun Zhigang's death. Sun was detained by police for not having proper identity papers and died in custody three days later. The story was all over the Internet and sparked heated debates on the treatment of migrant workers and police brutality.

Public participation in environmental protection has increased also because of media reports. The Fujian provincial government bowed to public pressure and halted construction on a paraxylene petrochemical plant in Xiamen city thanks to media and public pressure. And in 2006, the State Council announced that public consultations should be held before work is started on a project that will have an impact on the environment.

These are the results of the media's hard work. Since the central government is trying to build a society ruled by law, it's legislators' responsibility to devise a legal framework that would allow journalists to practice their profession properly.

(China Daily 07/02/2011 page5)