Press freedom in China has relatively loosened in the aftermath of the deadly earthquake in Sichuan, but the government is still heavy handed in directing the coverage.

Taking advantage of their unprecedented access, journalists have been generating a continous stream of updates from the disaster site, using a variety of tools including Twitter (see image). Citizen journalists as well have been active generating news from the province.

"I think we can say right now that Chinese media is reporting the quake with an intensity previously unseen," said David Bandurski, a researcher at the University of Hong Kong's China Media Project.

The openness is particularly striking when compared to the non-coverage of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, when China's press gave a short announcement that it had occurred and then fell silent.

However, according to AFP, China's journalists are by no means free from government interference. China's top propaganda director, Li Changchun, recently visited the major state-run media outlets "to deliver what appeared to be a stern reminder of the angles the press must take."

"The leadership's more open attitude toward reporting on the disaster so far is a very positive development. But it does not necessarily signal an epic shift in media policy," Bandurski said. Indeed, press repression in China has generally grown worse in the lead up to the Olympics.

Unlike Chinese journalists, foreign journalists have not reported any attempts to curb their coverage, representing what may be attempt to show a degree of openness in light of the Tibet protests.  

Sources: AFP, E-Media Tidbits