Wang Chen, Deputy Chief of the Central Propaganda Department of the CCP, Director of the Central Outreach Office of the CCP, and Director of the State Council Information Office, recently gave a speech at the Tenth Chinese Online Media Forum. Wang observed that there are four new trends in the development of the Internet: 1) The Internet is quickly becoming an important media channel; 2) The Internet is rapidly penetrating the social economy and this means better administration is needed; 3) Multiple information networks are merging, such as the trend to merge the computer, TV, and cellphone; 4) Internet technology is upgraded very frequently, and new service models are introduced very frequently. Wang also pointed out that, in order to cope with the new trends, it is very important to direct public opinion, to control the “battlefield,” and to regulate the “dissemination of information via the Internet.” 

Source: Xinhua, October 27, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-10/27/c_12706129.htm

According to Xinhua, the General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP), the Chinese government’s administrative agency that has the legal authority to screen, censor, and ban any print, electronic, or Internet publication in China, issued a notice October 28, 2010. The notice stated that, unless approved, no reporters or staff members of a newspaper or periodical are allowed to have their websites either in the name of the newspaper or periodical or in the name of the reporters of the newspaper or periodical.

GAPP has recently punished seven media organizations in China. Its actions included closing news stations and firing journalists.

Source: Xinhua, October 28, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-10/28/c_12713658.htm

China’s State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping announced on October 21, 2010, that China officially opened its own “World Map,” which was “China’s self-developed Web Map Service Website.” However, an Internet user pointed out on his blog that the “World Map” probably uses the data from the U.S. company DigitalGlobe, which offers the same image data that Google Maps uses.

On October 24, someone from China’s State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping responded that what the so called "world map" intellectual property rights refers to is the "service software," and not the "data resources." The data resources are from a commercial satellite.

The above news was reprinted on ChinaGate. BJNews published the original news report on October 25, 2010.

Source: ChinaGate, October 25, 2010
http://news.wenxuecity.com/messages/201010/news-gb2312-1195725.html