The current press structure in China is fundamentally fused with the organizational structure of the ruling Communist Party, and media are extensions of various bureaucratic branches of the party and/or government. Under such a state of affairs, one can imagine the level of sensitivity accorded the notion of “media independence”. The term therefore generally does […]
southern-metropolis-daily_march-19_2007.pdf Much Chinese media coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics has focused on national pride and the importance of the games in building up China’s international image. But a recent editorial in Southern Metropolis Daily argues that China’s well-publicized appetite for Olympic gold has become a kind of Midas touch, spoiling the spirit of friendship […]
Carrying its recent tradition of outspoken editorial writing into 2007, Southern Metropolis Daily today offered backhanded praise for the State Council’s “constructive” relationship with foreign media and said the same relationship should apply to domestic media. [pdf_editorial-on-domestic-partnership_smd.pdf: Today’s A2 editorial page in Southern Metropolis Daily]. The editorial, again a case of jieti fahui (or using […]
Web users responded quickly to news of the removal of Shanghai’s top leader, Chen Liangyu in a broadening pensions scandal. The removal of Chen, a close protege of former president Jiang Zemin, has intensified speculation that Hu Jintao is moving against political enemies ahead of a key leadership conference next year. [Coverage from Bloomberg][Coverage from […]
More than a month after police officials in the municipality of Chongqing announced that all personal web users would have to register with authorities by the end of October this year, nationwide debate over the local regulations continues on the Internet and in mainstream media. A recent editorial in Caijing magazine (August 7, 2006) spoke […]
When Time magazine announced its latest Time 100 list of most-influential world figures on May 1, five people on the list were Chinese – PRC Premier Wen Jiabao, film director Ang Lee, Gome Electronics founder Huang Guangyu, rights activist Chen Guangcheng and journalist Ma Jun. The last two figures did not appear in already sparse […]
Upstart provincial television broadcaster Hunan TV has been one of China’s hottest media topics since its fabulously popular “Super Girl” program topped the ratings charts last year. Some said it was giving the state broadcaster, China Central Television, a run for its money. “Super Girl” has apparently survived talk of an official crackdown and is […]
On June 28, 2002, the staff for the weekly supplement of China Economic Times, a leading Chinese business daily, held their routine Friday editorial meeting. Wang Nan, the section’s editor, handed veteran investigative reporter Wang Keqin a pile of research materials, including a document from the newspaper’s parent organization, the Development Research Center (DRC), a […]
November 2004 — Pu Zhiqiang, currently executive partner at Beijing’s Huayi Law Firm, is a leading lawyer representing Chinese journalists and writers in some of the most important court cases in the People’s Republic of China. He recently won a landmark victory for China Reform magazine against libel charges filed by a state-owned real estate […]