Beijing tightens media controls

Beijing on Wednesday tightened its controls on television and radio, banning local stations from forming partnerships with foreign broadcasters and prohibiting the leasing of local channels to foreign companies, the Associated Press reported, citing a notice posted on the government television regulator's website. The new regulations, a significant step away from the more liberal regulations issued last year, come three months after regulators unveiled new rules limiting foreign investment in production joint ventures. It is unclear how foreign media companies currently operating in China will be affected.