Freedom of Press: April 2006 Archives
The Epoch Times (Australia)
April 22, 2006
Almost three weeks after the Epoch Times published reports about a Chinese concentration camp where organs were being harvested from Falun Gong practitioners, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the reports and openly invited the international community to conduct an investigation.
In response to this invitation, Sydney-based reporter Linda Xu from the Sound of Hope radio station went to the Chinese consulate in Sydney on April 19 to lodge a visa application. Her application was immediately rejected.
Ms Xu was told by an official at the visa office that reporters entering China need an invitation letter from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ms Xu explained that at a press conference on March 28, Qin Gang, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had openly invited the international community to conduct an investigation.
The official replied: "This is not possible. Why don't you ask Qin Gang for an invitation letter yourself!" He returned the application documents to Ms Xu. When she tried to explain further, a consular security guard told her to leave.
BBC News
April 21, 2006
China's official media has not covered any controversial aspect of President Hu Jintao's US visit.
Chinese TV channels broadcasting live coverage of the White House ceremony welcoming President Hu tried to make sure no one saw a Falungong protester shouting at him.
Shanghai's Oriental Satellite TV was showing President Hu beginning to speak, when background shouting was faintly heard.
The video was quickly interrupted as the channel switched back to the studio anchorwoman, who summed up the leaders' speeches in an apparent effort to prevent the noise from being heard.
China's state-run flagship channels CCTV-1 and CCTV-4 chose not to carry the events live, preferring correspondents' summaries. At the time of the heckling incident, CCTV-4 was showing a special programme on President Hu's visit entitled "Voice of Peace From China".
CCTV-1 and CCTV-4, respectively the domestic and international channel of Chinese state television, carried the president's visit as their top items in their Friday news programmes.
They blocked the signal
CNN
But all their bulletins airbrushed out the heckling incident and some even dropped the White House welcoming ceremony altogether, preferring reports on Mr Hu speaking to business leaders in Seattle and visiting Boeing. Major international news networks CNN and BBC, which can be seen in upscale residential compounds and hotels mainly catering to foreigners, were blacked out when footage was about to be shown of Mr Hu being heckled, reports said.
By REUTERS | The New York Times
April 17, 2006
China has issued a series of notices in the past week aimed at regulating media content in an attempt to control an increasingly free-wheeling news environment.
But media watchers said that rather than signaling a new tightening, the rules simply follow a trend toward regulating a business whose myriad blogs, tabloids and television dramas present a challenge to the ruling Communist Party's desire the control the flow of information.
The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television reissued notices restricting local broadcasters' use of foreign news footage and the General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) introduced restrictions on foreign magazines publishing Chinese versions.
And in a twist, news Web sites collectively agreed to censor themselves to eradicate pornography and violence along with other ``unhealthy content.''
``When they feel there is a problem they adopt measures to block or control,'' said Jiao Guobiao, a journalism professor who lost his job after denouncing China's propaganda controls.
``This is their consistent thought. I don't think it has any new significance.''
The regulations follow a series of moves over the past year that included sacking editors of some of China's bolder publications and forcing bloggers and chat-room participants to use their real names.
They have also attracted the attention of human rights groups, who say U.S. companies have been complicit in providing information that resulted in the detention of Internet writers and urged President George W. Bush to raise the issue with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, when they meet later this week.
Reporters Without Borders
April 14, 2006
Reporters Without Borders today called on World Trade Organisation (WTO) member states to oppose a series of restrictive measures just adopted by the Chinese government which are a complete violation of WTO principles and will jeopardise the liberalisation and development of the Chinese media. China joined the WTO in 2001.
"The credibility of China’s integration into the WTO requires a change in its policies towards the media," Reporters Without Borders said. "We call on member countries, especially the United States, which President Hu Jintao is visiting this month, to raise this crucial issue within the WTO."
The press freedom organisation added : "The media sector should be included in the next session of Doha round negotiations. This reinforcement of protectionism by China is clearly aimed at increasing control of media content and is a new violation of press freedom."
Veuillez lire en français:
By REUTERS | The New York Times
April 7, 2006
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's publishing authority has quietly introduced new restrictions on foreign magazines issuing Chinese versions, but officials on Friday denied the rules had led to the closure of Rolling Stone magazine's Chinese edition.
A General Administration of Press and Publicationofficial said the group created an ``internal rule'' last year that allows only foreign science and technology magazines to develop Chinese versions through tie-ups with approved local partners.
China's Communist Party rulers have cracked down on increasingly bold reporting by local newspapers and magazines. In August, the government issued a freeze on foreign investment in satellite television and other media ventures.
The GAPP official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the rule would mean sports, entertainment and fashion magazines could not expect approval to enter China's expanding market.
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