Information/Technology - 62. page

On April 21, 2014, wenhui.news365.com.cn published an article on automatic Internet control. According to the article, it is necessary to establish an automatic Internet screening system so as to erase any “one-sided, unhealthy, and illegal” information from the Internet immediately. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to have a government level management system, more comprehensive Internet laws and regulations, and public opinion guidance on the Internet so as to stop any Western ideological trends and promote socialism with Chinese characteristics as well as the China dream. 

Source: wenhui.news365.com.cn, April 21, 2014
http://whb.news365.com.cn/sp/201404/t20140421_1832159.html

On March 19, China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) issued a "Notice on further strengthening the management of web TV Series, mini movies, and other Internet based audiovisual programs." The Notice demanded an enhanced regulation on the entry and exit mechanism and content review and approval of such programs.

The Notice stated that all Internet service units that stream web TV Series, mini movies, and other audiovisual programs should have qualified auditors trained by state or provincial professional associations, have a sound editing, review, and management system for the program contents, legally obtain a "permit for web dissemination of audio-visual programs" issued by radio, film and TV broadcasting authorities, and conduct business in strict accordance with what’s allowed by the license.

The Notice stated that Internet service units that produce and stream on its website audiovisual programs should legally obtain a "permit for producing radio, film and TV programs" and the relevant "permit for web dissemination of audio-visual programs."

The Notice stated that Internet audiovisual program service units should abide by the principle of "whoever operates the website is responsible," and implement the system auditing before broadcasting. The units should have auditors to review the contents of the programs before being web streamed.

The Notice stated that the Internet service units that forward and upload audiovisual program are subject to the same regulation as those that produce the programs. Internet service units should verify the genuine identity of individuals and institutions that upload audiovisual programs to the website.

The Notice stated that major funders and operators of Internet audiovisual program service units should be responsible for the contents of the programs. Those who violate the regulations may be subject to punishment including warning, fine, or suspension of qualification for investing in or operating an Internet audiovisual program service for up to five years.

Source: Xinhua, March 19, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-03/19/c_119850244.htm

Recently, the Ministry of Environmental Protection published results showing that there are 250 million residents who live close to areas that have industries that cause heavy pollution or areas that have heavy traffic and 280 million residents who drink unsafe water. The results also showed that the health risk to residents who are exposed to air pollution is increasing as well. The study was based on a survey done from 2011 to 2012 of 100,000 people who are from 31 cities and regions and who are 18 years of age or older.

Source: People’s Daily, March 15, 2014
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2014/0315/c1001-24642042.html

On January 21, at around 15:20, China’s entire top-level domain name root servers (DNS) malfunctioned, leaving two-thirds of China’s websites inaccessible and “causing severe damage to China’s Internet.” 

According to the China Internet Network Information Center’s annual report issued on January 16, 2014, there has been an overall decline in the use of such social media as weibo (microblogging), social media websites, and forums. In particular, the number of weibo users declined by 27.83 million users compared to the 2012 end of year statistics. The instant mobile messaging services showed an increase, reaching 532 million users. 

Established in March 2013, the State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SGAPPRFT), which integrated and replaced the previous General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), is a grand central government agency overseeing the nation’s news media and all channels of broadcasting.

In October, SGAPPRFT officially recommended the 2013 News Reporters Training Materials to the nation’s media organizations. The publisher is the People’s Publishing House, the publisher of official ideology. The Training Materials, written by SGAPPRFT as preparation materials for the 2014 general examination of the nation’s news reporters and editors, is also China’s very first compendium of government-issued news media training materials. Liu Binjie, former president and Party chief of GAPP, is the editor in chief and Jiang Jianguo, Party chief of SGAPPRFT, is the deputy editor in chief.

SGAPPRFT distributed over 10,000 copies of the Training Materials to all the nation’s news organizations. It consists of four parts: training courses, news gathering and editing regulations, regulations on news organizations’ management of news gathering and editing, and exercises. It also includes six episodes of 45-minute teaching videos. The focus is on training courses and teaching videos, contents including "socialism with Chinese characteristics," "Marxist views of the news," "journalistic ethics," "regulations on news," "norms of news gathering and editing," and "prevention of false news."

On October 19, at a forum for the publication of the Training Materials, leading officials, including the deputy chief of the Party’s Central Propaganda Department, the Party chief of the All-China Journalists’ Association, the editor in chief of Guangming Daily, and vice deans of the Journalism Schools of Renmin University and Tsinghua University took the opportunity to discuss the Marxist views of news media, and ask news organizations to  attach great importance to the training and assessment of reporters, so as to "conduct a systematic political and operational education, comprehensively enhance the quality of the news gathering and editing staff, and firmly hold onto the leadership in ideological work."

Source: Guangming Daily, October 19, 2013
http://news.gmw.cn/2013-10/19/content_9220596.htm