The Financial Times has a report on a China media development that may affect their own business:

Foreign newspapers are to be allowed to print in China, in what is a small but potentially significant opening of the country's market to the international media.

However, restrictions on the distribution of overseas newspapers and a requirement that they be treated as imported items will remain in force, according to Liu Binjie, deputy head of China's General Administration of Press and Publication.

Mr Liu told the Financial Times that a number of well-known international newspapers had shown interest in printing copies for the Chinese market, but none had yet made a formal application.

"We will allow foreign newspapers to come and print in China . . . but their newspapers still have to go through the procedures for an imported product," he said.

The FT report does not comment on a phenomenon sure to spring up if foreign newspapers do start printing in China: the sudden availability of pirate editions of the FT, the IHT etc.

The FT article is here. If you're looking for more media opening up stories, the Guardian has yet another story on the much discussed opening of the TV industry, here.

Opening shmopening, will you old farts quit closing magazines down and throwing reporters in jail already!