Officials in Kunming will no longer be allowed to obstruct journalists as they conduct interviews and collect information, under a new set of rules put out for public review in the capital city of Yunnan .
While the move was considered a sign of more sophisticated attitudes towards the role of the media in some interior provinces, experts said the new rule would make little difference while propaganda officials continued to exert so much sway.
At the end of last month, Kunming prosecutors published the Rule for Prevention of Job-related Crimes for public review. In the draft, it said officials 'who interfere or obstruct media from legal supervision will be held accountable or charged legally responsible'.
The new regulation also states that media organisations and news outlets should 'supervise the implementation of duties' of officials and government staff.
The rule is limited to Kunming and is thought to have the backing of its party secretary, Qiu He .
Mr Qiu, who is frequently quoted in the mainland media because of his independent views, once said he supported the media's 'disclosure of illegalities, and negligence and inefficiency of party and governmental officials'.
