Media Outlets In China

6 Pages 1540 Words

How They See Themselves
Officially, the role of Chinese journalists is defined as promoting a fair and harmonious society, as is typical in traditionally Confucian societies. Privately, however, many reporters express frustration at not being able to report freely, especially on politically sensitive issues. Business reporting, on the other hand, is generally more open and reporters are given a relatively free hand to report as they please; this is especially true with international business, within certain restrictions.
Degree of Independence
China's constitution states that freedom of speech and the press are fundamental rights enjoyed by all citizens, but the same document gives the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) the responsibility of circumscribing these rights. No one is allowed to publish or broadcast opinions that contradict basic party doctrine or publish or broadcast criticism of senior leaders. This gives the party and government tight control over the media. In addition, all media employees are ordered to follow Party directives and to help guide public opinion as stipulated by political authorities.
The establishment and management of publications is strictly regulated by the government. The government also controls the broadcast media, censors foreign television broadcasts, and has been known to jam radio signals from abroad; however, China's media environment has been liberalized significantly in recent years. Although the central government still controls the most influential media, semi-official, private, foreign, and joint-venture media now exist side-by-side with the official communist media. Cable TV controls have been loosened to the extent that subscribers in a number of cities have uncensored access to foreign news programming. Nevertheless, China's overt control of political reporting prompted Freedom House to rate the overall media environment in 2001 as "not free." For example, leading daily newspapers have ...