Published: December 16, 2009

SHANGHAI — The top editor of Southern Weekly, one of China’s most influential newspapers, apparently has been demoted, just weeks after his interview with President Obama annoyed Communist Party propaganda officials, according to people familiar with the decision.

Although the interview with Mr. Obama at the end of his visit to China last month did not yield any significant news, or even include unusually tough questions, it seemed to bother propaganda officials by putting the spotlight on the feisty, liberal-leaning paper from southern China’s Guangdong Province, rather than China’s official news agency, Xinhua, or its main broadcaster, China Central Television, according to several people close to the paper who asked not to be named for fear of being punished.

Xiang Xi, who had been the paper’s editor in chief, was named its executive editor last week. But several people familiar with the paper’s decision said his role at the paper was diminished.

Reached by telephone Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Xiang said he was not allowed to comment on the move.

Huang Can, who was named the new editor in chief, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that the move was “not really” a demotion for Mr. Xiang, and added, “His specific job has not been clearly decided. We’ll know soon.”

The White House chose Southern Weekly for Mr. Obama’s interview, rather than the more official Chinese media outlets, in what seemed to be a move intended to appeal to a publication with a more independent voice. But the Nov. 19 interview was cut out of many copies of Southern Weekly the following day, particularly in Beijing, and was not featured prominently on the paper’s Web site.

The White House later published a full transcript of the interview on its own Web site.