Media punished for violations

China's press watchdog has publicized seven cases in which it has punished media for illegal practices.

In one case, several employees of the Government Law magazine in north China's Shanxi Province accepted 30,000 yuan (4,880 US dollars) from a coal company as hush money while they were reporting a deadly coal mine accident, said a release from the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television on Tuesday.

The administration closed the magazine for two months.

In another case, the press pass of a reporter from Jiangxi's Information Daily was revoked after they were found to be jointly running a company. The daily was also fined 30,000 yuan.

Chinese reporters are generally not allowed to engage in any other profession.

The administration warned all media organs against violating rules and asked local press authorities to be strict in closing illegal media organizations and firing reporters that violate the rules.