China Revokes Credentials of Three "Wall Street Journal" Reporters.
BOLDUAN: China now cracking down on Western journalists in a way we haven't seen in decades. The Chinese government revoked the press credentials with three journalists with the "Wall Street Journal." It's the largest expulsion of overseas media since 1989, the year of the Tiananmen massacre. CNN's Chief Media Correspondent, host of "RELIABLE SOURCES," Brian Stelter is here with more on this. Brian, what's the backstory of these three journalists?</s>BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT & CNN HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": A couple of layers. These journals have been working in China for "The Journal." They are outstanding reporters. One is in Wuhan right now exposing herself to the crisis, trying to cover the outbreak. They've been told by the Chinese government they have to leave the country. And as you said, this is unprecedented action, dating back decades, really back to the 1980s. There's a couple of things going on. Number one, the State Department in the U.S. said yesterday Chinese media in the United States are now going to be considered foreign embassies. This is a pretty dramatic action by the State Department to put pressure on China. You have to wonder if the Chinese government is retaliating by kicking these three "Wall Street Journal" reporters out. The official reasoning from the Chinse government is that they're offended by a "Wall Street Journal" opinion piece, titled, "The Old Sick Man," referring to China. And that has historic connotations. But that was an opinion piece completely separate from the newsroom. And the "Wall Street Journal" newsroom is outraged by this action.</s>BOLDUAN: What is -- this is a scary sign. What is "The Journal" saying?</s>STELTER: It is troubling. It makes you wonder if they're trying to clamp down on international coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. We have a brand-new memo from the "Wall Street Journal." Here's partly what it says. It says, "Let no one doubt "The Journal" remains fully committed to covering China, with the highest standards of news reporting. We will continue to write about China without fear or favor." That's a new memo from the editor of "The Journal." They are urging the Chinses government to reverse this action. And others news outlets are coming to "The Journal's" defense because there's a concern this could be a kind of backsliding, like you start to see journalists being expelled from China and that it could get worse. But right now, these three "Journal" reporters being told they have to leave.</s>BOLDUAN: Without repercussions, there's nothing to stop them.</s>BOLDUAN: Committed to protect journalists. Putting out a statement saying, "This expulsion makes the country appear less like a confident rising power" --</s>STELTER: Right.</s>BOLDUAN: -- "than thin-skinned bully." It is good to see you Brian. Thanks for being on. I really appreciate it.</s>STELTER: Thanks.</s>BOLDUAN: Thanks so much for joining me. "INSIDE POLITICS" with John King starts right now.