China curbs foreign news footage
Submitted by lightyear on Thu, 2006-04-13 17:55. :: Things Chinese
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4906616.stm
China's government has told local TV stations not to use video from foreign sources to produce news bulletins.
New rules ban the use of footage acquired from foreign satellite TV and other channels that are not state-run.
Stations have been told they should only use news reports provided by the state-run China Central Television and China Radio International.
The rules also say that historical soap operas involving "major or sensitive" issues must get official approval.
Taboo issues for TV drama include political, military and religious themes.
A notice issued by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) on 10 April also demands that local government offices overseeing TV drama productions submit monthly reports to ensure the shows stick to pre-approved scripts.
I like this one:Tsinghua University media professor Ying Hong told the South China Morning Post: "Controlling the sole news source is a good way to ensure all the international news reporting sticks to a unified official line."
As concerns mount among China's leadership about social unrest in poorer rural communities and how it is reported, some analysts believe that further opening-up of the news and media sector is still some way off.