Xinhua News Agency controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2005
Reporters Without Borders labels Xinhua a propaganda instrument
Reporters Without Borders criticized Xinhua as a central component of Chinese government censorship and propaganda. The characterization reflects a longstanding dispute over the agency's independence and political role.
2002
Alleged payments to suppress mine-disaster coverage
Four Xinhua reporters were reported to have accepted hush money in connection with censoring a report about a mine explosion that killed 37 workers. The allegations contributed to broader questions about corruption, censorship and editorial independence at the agency.
2002
Criticism over delayed SARS reporting
Observers criticized Xinhua's limited and delayed public reporting during the SARS outbreak, citing it as an example of the restrictions imposed on sensitive health and political information.
1989
Coverage of the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown
Xinhua journalists and editors reportedly disagreed over how to cover the 1989 demonstrations and their suppression. The episode illustrated the conflict between professional reporting and political control, and was followed by tighter oversight of Chinese media.