Learning the news

[Randy W]

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Journalism in China is a much different profession than it is in the West.

 

Learning the news

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/832671.shtml?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer03256&utm_medium=facebook#.UrD9dp6VNQA

 

The exam operates on a five-year-cycle, forcing journalists to renew their certification.

In September, the State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television issued a notice, demanding that all news organizations should hold the training before the exam to be held between January and February in 2014.

The training should focus on the textbooks compiled by the administration which falls into six parts including socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Marxist view of journalism, journalistic ethics, regulation on journalism, news reporting norms and preventing rumors, according to the notice.

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The "Marxist view of journalism" emphasizes "objectivity," as defined by the textbook, and "the leading role of the Party in publicity," as well as the media being a "field and weapon to address the Party's thinking and political ideas." According to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, "Newspapers should be operated by politicians."

Chen Lidan, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that stressing the Marxist view of journalism means the government strengthening its supervision over media.

Yin Yungong, the director of a research center focusing on socialism with Chinese characteristics, believes that strengthening the Marxist view is urgently needed.

Yin told the Global Times on Tuesday. "Marxism is the guiding thought of China, thus it's also significant to guide the media. Marxism aims to pursue benefits for the most and serve the country."

Under the Marxist view of journalism, news staffers cannot make use of public power for private benefits, said Yin, adding that in recent years, some journalists lost their faith and used the media to make money for themselves.

 

[Mick]

A really interesting article in many ways, emphasizing the role of the government's thumb in controlling the media. I taught Journalism to graduate students for four years in China, covering the late 90s and early 2000s. Back then, there was a subtle but consistent push to loosen the political machine's grasp on the media, particularly in print journalism. The university where I taught, although a state university, was founded and largely funded by a wealthy Hong Kong businessman who was originally from the city where the university was located. He pushed strongly for reform in all areas, including journalism. Hence, each year there were several western journalism teachers on the faculty. It appears the move now, at least according to the article, is to ratchet up the control once again. This all is going to be interesting as people in China increasingly get their news from the Internet, just as we do here in the States. Printed newspapers are going out of business in America at a rapid rate. It will be interesting to see if this same trend holds up in China and to what extent the government tries to ramp up the Great Firewall as it relates to the press.