Posted on 04/13/2006 3:28:04 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
China clamps down on TV news Thu Apr 13, 3:18 AM ET
China's top media body has ordered television broadcasters to stop using international news footage and called for greater "political and propaganda discipline".
New regulations posted on the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television's website said all stations must only use the international news reports of China Central Television and China Radio International.
"Recently, some overseas news services and media have used various methods to sell international news material to domestic stations and the reports have a clear political intention," the regulations said.
"We must be more strict in our political and propaganda discipline, fully follow orders (and) ban that which must be banned."
Many local stations, especially those in large cities, have used reports supplied directly by foreign news services or satellite broadcasters as media competition grows and audiences demand better news coverage.
The new regulations also banned the use of non-approved video, even if the video was backed by voice-over scripts provided by the official Xinhua news agency.
The new rules were designed to strengthen existing regulations on international news broadcasts and to "ensure a healthy and orderly development of international TV news reporting and correctly lead public opinion."
China's communist rulers have appeared to tighten media controls in recent years as social unrest and dissatisfaction over economic opportunities among lower-levels of society has grown.
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders ranks China 159th on a list of 167 countries in its global press freedom index.
Great firewall in Chinese Internet and now this.
Ping!
Freedom will eventually break out over there, despite all attempts to rein it in.
I agree. The tighter they squeeze the more they will succeed in failing.
Gee, looks as though I'll have to cancel my plans to visit there for the Olympics, can't take the chance offending their "government" thugs.
Ah, yes.
"Let a thousand flowers blossom. Let a hundred schools of thought contend..."
-- Chairman Mao, the opening salvo of the Great Cultural Revolution.
no it won't
Yes it will.
This is fun.
From what I can observe living here, the State has the authority to do as it pleases and it does. Over half our office is Communist Party members. I had one such member, a young PhD. tell me recently, "Chairman Mao is like your George Washington". What do you say to that? (rhetorical)
There is an AP story just posted here where the Party is ending international news networks from broadcast in China. Check it out.
The Great Firewall of China...
I had a friend who traveled a lot over there last summer and was amazed at the freedom compared to 20 yrs ago. Still a long way to go, but much more individual liberty she observed.
Nope. Money breeds complacency among the peon, and more money for the government equals more power to control them. Their government will continue to expand its' power both domestically and abroad (even here), until and unless we cut off the funding.
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