BEIJING - China's top internet regulator updated its list of approved media sources, giving the government a greater voice and control over how news is disseminated.
Online information providers are now allowed to republish pieces from 1,358 Internet news outlets named by the Cyberspace Administration of China. The roster is quadruple the size from the previous version published in 2016.
However, all of the new additions appear to be from state or party-affiliated outlets. Meanwhile, more independent voices remain marginalized, if not banished from the list altogether.
The new list, released Wednesday, includes nearly 120 media sources linked to the Communist Party Central Committee, such as the People's Daily newspaper. There are nearly 90 additional state or party-focused publications controlled by industry organs.
The list includes 80 social media accounts, websites or apps controlled directly by party organizations or central government agencies. Media outlets affiliated with local party organizations or regional governments number more than 1,000.
Meanwhile, the Beijing-based financial publication Caixin.com is nowhere to be found on the latest list. The publication, part of the larger Caixin Media Group, was named in the 2016 register.
Caixin.com has developed a large following with journalism that investigates economic issues that deeply affect society. How this decision will affect the company's operations will likely garner scrutiny.
Nikkei and Caixin have an agreement to exchange articles in English.
Foreign media groups remain excluded from the approved list. Because the roster serves as a standard for what internet service providers can republish, it is believed that the outlets named can be used as reference.
Though the list itself does not place any direct restrictions on journalistic activities, an outlet's reach can depend on the inclusion in the list.
This month, China unfurled draft revisions to the so-called negative list, dictating which industries are open to market participation. The document includes a new section listing certain types of investments that would be prohibited in the news industry. The new negative list will be finalized soon.
The Chinese government led by President Xi Jinping has launched a regulatory pressure campaign against the tech industry, which is dominated by private-sector companies. Some believe these latest steps against media outlets appear designed to clamp down on criticism against the government and the ruling party.