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Intergovernmental Conflict and Censorship: Evidence from China’s Anti-Corruption Campaign

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  • Maiting Zhuang

Abstract

I study how local Chinese newspapers report on the national anti-corruption campaign by collecting a large-scale dataset of newspaper articles, internet searches, and comments on social media. Despite greater reader interest, local newspapers underreport, and deemphasise corruption scandals involving high-level officials from their own province. Underreporting is greater when a corrupt official is well connected, and a newspaper does not rely on advertising revenue. City-level newspapers report less about corruption in their own city but are more likely to report about corruption within the provincial government. I present suggestive evidence that this type of localised censorship reduces the accountability of local governments.

Suggested Citation

  • Maiting Zhuang, 2022. "Intergovernmental Conflict and Censorship: Evidence from China’s Anti-Corruption Campaign," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 20(6), pages 2540-2585.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jeurec:v:20:y:2022:i:6:p:2540-2585.
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Garz, Marcel & Zhuang, Maiting, 2022. "Media coverage and pandemic behaviour: Evidence from Sweden," Misum Working Paper Series 2022-9, Stockholm School of Economics, Mistra Center for Sustainable Markets (Misum).
    2. Zhuang, Maiting & Garz , Marcel, 2022. "Media coverage and pandemic behaviour: Evidence from Sweden," SITE Working Paper Series 61, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics.

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