Being reporter "third most dangerous job in China"

BEIJING, Nov 9 (Reuters) Being a reporter is the third most dangerous occupation in China, the official Xinhua news agency said, second only to miners and policemen.

''An increasing number of reporters are obstructed, scolded, even beaten during interviews,'' Xinhua said in a late-night report seen today.

To help journalists injured on the job, a hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang had set up a foundation, it said.

''We decided to set up the foundation to arouse people's concern about reporters' health and safety,'' Xinhua quoted Zhang Chengpu, vice-director of Shengjing Hospital, as saying.

''The foundation will help reporters to pay part of their medical fees if they were attacked or wounded by accidents while doing interviews around Shenyang,'' Zhang added.

China is the world's leading jailer of journalists, with at least 32 in custody, and another 50 Internet campaigners also in prison, according to Reporters Without Borders.

Chinese journalists who report crime and corruption in the newly competitive media environment face increasing incidents of violence, according to the group.

In February, it said a Chinese newspaper editor had died from injuries months after traffic police beat him for an expose about exorbitant electric bicycle licence fees.

The government, which brooks little dissent, keeps a tight grip on the state-run media.

The country has a history of blacking out negative news such as mine disasters -- China is also home to the world's deadliest mining industry -- fearful about the impact of such incidents on social stability and the ruling Communist Party.

REUTERS DH BST0607