Media Censorship in the USA and China: A Detailed Comparative Analysis

This essay provides a comparative analysis of media censorship in the USA and China, highlighting the vulnerabilities of press freedom in both countries, with a particular emphasis on China's more stringent control over mass media, book circulation, and tabloid content. It addresses the suppression of free speech, the banning of books, and the consequences of media censorship on democratic rights and information dissemination. The paper discusses the challenges faced by media personnel, including violence and intimidation, and examines specific instances of censorship, such as the jailing of journalists in China and restrictions imposed during the Trump administration in the USA. It contrasts China's dictatorial control, exemplified by the Central Propaganda Department and restrictions on foreign children's books, with the relatively more tolerant environment in the USA, while acknowledging the decline in press sovereignty due to crackdowns and threats. The essay concludes that while press freedom is declining globally, it is more pronounced in China, emphasizing the importance of free information flow for a well-informed citizenry and a functioning democracy, and advocating for the abolition of censorship to prevent economic and social oppression.

Running head: CENSORSHIP OF MEDIA
Compare and contrast media and media censorship between USA and China
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Media censorship is a subtle act of intimidation and suppression of media expression
that questions or criticizes the state functioning. Media can be inappropriate for a democratic
state and is an indicator of authoritarian regime. Heavy-handed censorship on press is hardly a
new phenomenon and can be traced back to 1580s England. This essay is a comprehensive study
of freedom of press and its censorship in two countries, USA and China. Countries that are under
the tight clenches of media surveillance are Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.
The lethality of censorship is more deep-rooted than it is apparent and the paper will precisely
explore the areas like the consequences of media censorship, banning of books and suppression
of free speech and expression in 21st century. Media censorship is a direct curb of democratic
rights that the constitution bestows upon the people. Media censorship has a subtle chain reaction
as it not only affects the particular country but deprives the other countries of eloquent
information. The thesis statement of this essay is that although freedom of print media,
which is considered the fourth pillar of democracy, is vulnerable in both USA and China,
China is more intolerant towards unconfined functioning of the mass media, free circulation of
books and pornography in tabloids in comparison to the USA. Problem Statement: the paper
revolves around the issues and crisis that has taken place in the countries U.S.A and China due to
the autocratic suppression of print media, magazine and pornography in tabloid cannot be easily
overlooked. The ideal solution of this scenario of systematic suppression is mass protests by the
government and introduction of bills and amendments that will protect the basic rights of free
printing that can influence the welfare and opinions of general mass. Unless and until censorship
is abolished in the purest sense of the term economic and social oppression will continue to
persist insistently giving rise to authoritarianism and conservatism.

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Media personnel are facing inhumane situations like organized violence and threatened
environment in both China and USA. In contemporary times, the state of print media and
democracy is under deplorable condition, for instance, in China, where a number of journalists
were jailed for carrying out their duties under the presidency of Xi Jinping (Phillips 2018). In
Macau and Mainland the scenario aggravated with physical tortures with pro-democracy
journalists and scholars. In USA, although the constitution allows for an unrestricted flow of
information to be dispersed among the public through print media, Trump administration has
proliferated the number of arrested of journalists thereby damaging the free spirit of print media
(Potter 2018). Gradually, with the introduction of SAPPRFT the journalists of many magazines
like New York Times and newspapers Beijing News were banned. Restrictions and consequent
termination of a number of journalists from their positions was also executed (Mounk 2018). In
contemporary times, the print media in China has exercised self-censorship in order to report
defaming information about its police authorities and public figures like Leung Chun-Yin.
Similarly in the USA, the print media has suffered major blows during Trump’s regime where a
number of journalists lost their jobs clearly substantiating the perils of a new administration can
bring in (Mounk 2018). However, when compared to U.S.A, China is perhaps one of the worst
authoritarian proprietors of violence on media as it inflicts autocracy through the organized
Central Propaganda Department (Kellner 2015). In comparison with China, U.S.A is relatively
tolerant towards the free spirit of press. However, there have been a number of factors
contributing to a steady decline in the sovereignty of the press. Some examples of these are the
several crack-downs which were executed during Obama’s administration and the threatening
of journalists during campaigns and rallies (Simon 2018). It certainly helps the autocratic leaders
to suppress the mass in dire ignorance.

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If the banning on the books is considered, Governmental control of press in U.S.A and
China has resulted in a hostile environment in both the countries. China has evolved to become a
regime of strict authority exercising governmental control on press and thereby generating an
uncooperative environment for free speech. Chinese print media have succumbed miserably
under the political pressures and authorities that impose restrictions on books like Shanghai
Baby, Wild Swans and Life and Death in Shanghai (Oppenheim, M. (2018). This atmosphere
of hostility towards the book market, which subtly forces ban on a number of books is another
instance of the state’s control of print media. Beijing has inserted a number of restrictions on
foreign children’s books like Candy, since books are a major source of knowledge (Ross 2017).
CCP’s monopolistic control over the publishing houses claiming that the content of the books
may threaten the security of the state is another instance of the control of free media. Prior
restraint or media censorship is unconstitutional in America, on the other hand, China is unlike
U.S.A in exercising dictatorial control over print media, thereby forming a sharp contrast to
U.S.A and the amount of freedom which print media and publishing houses enjoy there (Jones
2018). In China there are a number of editorial guidelines that the publishing houses have to
confront which has led to a ban on books by the Communist Party of China. The absence of
press laws protecting freedom of speech in China for a democratic atmosphere is absent in China
(Wigley and Akkoyunlu-Wigley 2017). Chinese Community Party holds a dictatorial position in
this regard and was responsible for persecuting journalists, thrusting false charges on authors to
curtail the link between their reporting and influencing public opinion. Likewise, in both China
and U.S.A, a curb on press is a result of avoiding criticism, to keep the mass ignorant in a subtle
manner. The Communist Party of China conditions its power in an authoritarian manner. In fact,
like China, in America, the freedom of the press comes repeatedly under strict supervision, for

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instance with banning of boos like Bridge to Terabithia. The continuous control over press has
made the Americans feel vulnerable in front of the colossal institutions and unquestioning power
over free bodies (Wigley and Akkoyunlu-Wigley 2017). However, in the USA there is no such
state power like China controlling book publication like in China.
Media Consumption and power concentration is an important aspect of media
censorship. The Chinese Communist Party controls media publications and dictates media
consumptions and can also send the journalists behind the bars for carrying out their jobs (Lyn
2017). The Chinese Communist Party has also imposed ban on pornographic elements printed in
newspapers, tabloids like Ming Pao and magazines namely in order to promote the values and
practices of Communist Party of China in an unhindered manner (Beam 2018). Considering the
pornography in the media, it can be said that even in China, restrictions on pornographic
elements are primarily due to the negative impact that it can have on the mass (Red 2014). In
sharp contrast to this, U.S.A allows a free press uncensored by government agencies acting on
the behalf of people. Prior restraint is unconstitutional in America and nobody possesses the right
to address press as ‘enemies of people’ like Trump had (Ditum 2015). In this aspect, China is far
behind U.S.A in exercising almost a dictatorial control over print media, forming a sharp contrast
to U.S.A and the amount of freedom that media practitioners still enjoy over there. On the
contrary, U.S.A being a democratic state has a well-formed legislative and judicial system
assuring a free functioning of press, a model that can be followed by countries like China (Lyn
2017).
From the above discussion, it can be summarized that democracy in the realm of free
speech and print media is in sharp decline in all the countries, but more pronounced in China,
and today only 13 percent of the world population enjoys free press. Censorship is the ultimate

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suppression of free flow of information and proliferating public ignorance. It threatens the very
form of democracy and its sacred tenets. The paper analyses how freedom of press is a pre-
requisite in the formation of free government and nurturing the growth of an inquisitive mind,
critical faculty and open-mindedness of the citizens. In the age of globalization and advanced
mode of communication media censorship is nothing less than a setback. Infringement of
people’s rights by media censorship in the name of democracy is unethical and unbecoming of
democracy. It can be safely concluded that a smooth interchanging of information is a matter of
absolute necessity to comprehend the complex functioning of state and its direct and indirect
influence on the common people. Print media censorship is a common phenomenon more
rampant in China, where pro-democracy newspapers, tabloids and books, free printing faced
condemnation and repeated attacks from government and police openly. The Chinese
government has shown least involvement to promote free functioning of press, beyond the
control and supervision of Chinese Community Party in comparison to the media of USA.

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