New regulations reinforce Xinhua news agency's control over foreign news agencies

[Snowy Owl]

New regulations reinforce Xinhua news agency's control over foreign news agencies
http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/english/2006/09/200609120956.shtml

Nota: Boxun reports are not validated by the CCP but has proven right in the last few years. I shall try to corroborated this via the Official Channels of China. SO

(Sept. 12, 2006)

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has voiced dismay at the government-run news agency Xinhua's announcement, without any prior consultation, of new regulations reinforcing its commercial and editorial control over the distribution of foreign news agency content within China.

The organisation called for a joint reaction from the US, European and Japanese governments to this new attempt to restrict the free flow of information.

"We are worried about the scope of these regulations, which could have a serious impact on the work of foreign news agencies operating in China," Reporters Without Borders said.

"It is outrageous that Xinhua, the Communist Party mouthpiece, should claim full powers over news agencies.

It also poses a threat to news agency journalists, who play a key role in the circulation of news in China. Xinhua is establishing itself as a predator of both free enterprise and freedom of information."

Reporters Without Borders added: "The Chinese government did everything possible to keep politics out of business negotiations during the EU-China summit that just took place. But now it is doing the exact opposite by blithely mixing business and political control.

The status of foreign news agencies is a complete violation of China's commitments to the World Trade Organisation."

The regulations announced on 10 September 2006, entitled "Measures for administering the dissemination of news and information in China by foreign news agencies," concern not only mainland China but also Hong Kong and Macao and, in theory, Taiwan. They abolish a special dispensation dating back to 1996 that allowed business information agencies including Reuters to sell news to the Chinese media.

Part of Xinhua's motive seems to be to muscle in on a lucrative business that has eluded it until now

Consisting of 22 articles, the new regulations confirm Xinhua's strict monopoly of the distribution of news, photos and computer images to the Chinese media. Without any form of consultation, the foreign news agencies have been placed under the tutelage of Xinhua, which has assumed the right to grant or withhold operating licences. This contradicts foreign ministry regulations that give the ministry the power to accredit foreign news media and journalists.

Posted on Xinhua's website, the regulations ban the dissemination of news that is contrary to the Chinese constitution or any Chinese law, that endangers national unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security or China's reputation and interests, that violates Chinese policy on religions, or that promotes sects and superstition.

News agencies are told they must not incite hate or discrimination between ethnic groups or hurt their feelings. They are also banned from threatening China's social and economic order or cultural traditions, or from disseminating obscenities or defamation.

After issuing a warning, Xinhua will be able to demand a correction, block the circulation of a report, or suspend the offending media's licence.

The Chinese media are forbidden to use foreign news agency dispatches to cover a news story.

But the news agencies sell photos through Xinhua, especially international news photos. And the Chinese media can also buy business news and information from the specialised agencies.

The agencies that will be most affected are Reuters, Bloomberg, DowJones and Kyodo, all of which sell business news to the Chinese media.

A Beijing-based journalist who did not want to be named told Reporters Without Borders the foreign news agencies should "unite to combat these unfair and retrograde regulations." Another foreign news agency correspondent said Xinhua was trying "claim powers it does not have."

<!--bodyend--> In September 2005, Reporters Without Borders published a report entitled "Xinhua: the world's biggest propaganda agency," which described the agency's internal functioning and how it played a key role in controlling the Chinese media.

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_a...5172(boxun.com)

[Snowy Owl]

Reporters without Borders - Xinhua: the world?s biggest propaganda agency

Xinhua: the world?s biggest propaganda agency
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=15172

On the eve of the 56th anniversary of the People?s Republic of China, Reporters Without Borders releases a report of an investigation into the role of the news agency Xinhua News Agency in the system of propaganda and censorship put in place by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).


With less than three years to go before the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the worldwide press freedom organisation calls on the Chinese government to reform the state-run media.


Although it is more and more regularly cited as a credible source - nearly one third of the news reports on China selected by Google News originate from the agency - Xinhua, the head of which has the rank of minister, is the linchpin of control of the Chinese media.


Successor to the agency, Red China that was founded by Mao Zedong, Xinhua adopted its current name in January 1937. Since October 1949, this state-run news agency has been completely subordinate to the CCP.


The Reporters Without Borders? report includes accounts from several Xinhua journalists who agreed, on condition of anonymity, to explain how the control imposed by the CCP?s Propaganda Department operates on a daily basis.


With the help of former French journalist on Xinhua, Reporters Without Borders exposes the distortion of facts, hatred for its enemies (particularly the United States and Japan) and its support, through the treatment of international news, for the world?s worst regimes.


Despite a certain economic liberalisation of the media sector, Xinhua remains the voice of the sole party. Hand-picked journalists, who are regularly indoctrinated, produce reports for the Chinese media that give the official point of view and others - classified ?internal reference? for the country?s leaders.


After being criticised for its lack of transparency, particularly during the Sars epidemic, Xinhua has for last few months been putting out news reports embarrassing to the government, but they are designed to fool the international community, since they are not published in Chinese.


<table width="100%"><tbody><tr align="center" valign="top"><td width="33%"> Xinhua report in english

</td> <td width="33%"> Xinhua report in chinese

</td> <td width="33%"> Xinhua report in french

</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Mingus]

Re: Reporters without Borders - Xinhua: the world?s biggest propaganda agency

Wow, bump this, it is interesting and important for us since Xinhuia is a major News source in the world and often one of the quickest for many news about birdflu in asia.

Every news trackers amongst FT member should read that, it's important to fully understand who and how is publish the news from wich we feed the forum.

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: New regulations reinforce Xinhua news agency's control over foreign news agencies

How will this impact Jason's work?

I don't want to see his excellent efforts curtailed.

.

[Niko]

Re: New regulations reinforce Xinhua news agency's control over foreign news agencies

Arrested for Ridiculing a Government Official in a Text Message
By Wang Manna
Central News Agency
Nov 05, 2006

CHINA?Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights & Democracy said that police in Pengshui County, Chongqing City, China, recently arrested 25 people caught sending text messages, using their cell phones, that expressed their dissatisfaction with the Chinese Communist regime and local authorities.

On August 25, Qin Zhongfei, a staff member of the Education Committee in Pengshui County sent a 120-word message to his friend that ridiculed the way a Pengshui County leader handled education and public works assignments. Qin's friend then forwarded the message to other friends.

On August 31 the police of Chongqing City arrested Qin Zhongfei. Qin was held in custody until October 24. The other 24 people who had sent or received the message were only detained for several hours. Qin Zhongfei was detained for 54 days for the crime of "defamation;" however, the police could not say whom he had defamed because he had not mentioned any names in the text he sent.

Qin would not say whether the police were going to charge him with "inciting subversion." He only said it was a nightmare and that he did not want to talk about it. The Information Center pointed out that, by the end of October, China had 420 million cell phone users. Cell phone users sent 304.6 billion short messages last year.

The Center believes that the police in Chongqing City are arresting cell phone users caught sending text messages that express discontent with the CCP regime or any other officials. Those arrested can be charged with the crimes of "inciting subversion" or "defamation" at any time. The intensive monitoring by the police of cell phone text messages violates the privacy of cell phone users in China.