Chinese hacks face life ban for nicking rumours from web The Chinese government has issued new regulations for journalists that require them to provide two sources for everything they print. The new rules, issued by the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP), are widely being interpreted as a move from the government to stop Chinese journalists publishing stories …
Actually, the story as reported here in China was that the new law is to stop unofficial news reports spreading false stories and rumours.
The trigger was a story spread about a man murdering 10 tribal leaders in Northern China which spread across Weibo and other Chinese social networks, but proved to be a work of fiction.... at least according to the authorities.
The part about altering photos and videos was probably prompted by eagle-eyed viewers noticing the use of "Top Gun" footage in a report about Chinese military exercises last year, but what you have to remember is that the big news outlets are controlled almost entirely by the Party anyway, so even this is aimed mostly at the smaller, local papers that have less central government oversight (and tend to print stories the Party arent always happy about).
You know, for all the bad press about the Chinese government (and I will admit a lot of it is true), the locals still have a lot of freedoms that we do not enjoy.
I enjoy Tai Chi, but what are my chances of going to a park in the UK, swinging around my Tai Chi sword, and NOT being arrested/shot/tasered???
Been here 4 months and totally changed the way I look at China, so much of the news about the place in Western media is little better than Propaganda.
Thank you for that interesting comment. You say that your four months in China have totally changed the way you look at it; I'm sure they would have. Could you spare any time to write a blog (or do you already have one?) to give us an insight into life there and to highlight any 'surprises' for us back here in the West?
Not a blog as such, but a search for "So I am in China" should turn up a thread I have written on a dating discussion website.
Big surprises ??
The people, including the Police are very friendly and helpful where I am in the South, none of the "anti foreigner" stuff I have seen in the UK, although i have found a few raising their prices because I am not local.
Decent milk, despite the melamine scandal last year, the Chinese enjoy some really nice milk, and unlike the West, it still has the cream in it.
For all the talk of "Dirty" China, the government are REALLY pushing green energy, electric scooters are heavily discounted, many buildings have rooftop solar water heaters and some cities have had all the buses converted to LPG. Older petrol motorbikes and scooters are regularly "culled", regardless of condition if found inside the cities. I have seen a big improvement in air quality since my first visit in 2008.
Unlike cities in the West, you do not fear for your life after dark, even in the parks; in fact the parks and public squares are filled with people, dancing groups, music groups, martial arts groups, childrens nursery and play groups; they are PACKED at night, and fairly busy throughout the day, with many people, young and old getting up before dawn to reach the park at sunrise to start their daily exercise routine.
I am still quite embarrassed at my lack of Tai Chi skill compared to the ancient old men and women I see practising there every day, often for many hours.
The biggest surprise????
The supermarkets are EXPENSIVE; everything from fresh meat and veg to household goods is cheaper at the small stores that line nearly every yard of the residential areas.
The biggest GOOD surprise??
Local cake shops that are open 24/7; for that midnight craving!!!!
Bad things??
It is still very dirty on the streets, people are personally very clean, but happy to throw their cr@p out for you to wade through.
There is no household rubbish collection, you throw it out into the street and the REALLY poor people come and sort through it for what they can sell on; then the rats eat anything edible and finally a street cleaner will sweep up the residue.
Chinese cheese is so bad it makes American cheese taste good.
Modern building standards are appalling, a 200 year old house looks better than something 10-20 years old, and anything more than 30 years old would not look at of place in the Black Hole of Calcutta.
I have seen concrete supports full of air bubbles, walls and floors flaking due to incorrect cement mixing and badly fitted windows with the screws already falling out; and this was in a building that is not even finished yet!!
"The trigger was a story spread about a man murdering 10 tribal leaders in Northern China which spread across Weibo and other Chinese social networks, but proved to be a work of fiction.... at least according to the authorities."
Which is just one source and so it defeats their own argument!
Is that Western governments don't force those they disagree with into forced labour camps or tear down houses without warning.
The thing they have in common is that they both spin things to their own ends and only the truly foolish don't realise this.
Even so, I'd rather be in the West any day.
Your comparison isn't quite correct; as two illegal wars and a dubious regime change have proven, disagree with The West and they will use the guise of the peace and democracy to unleash the full might of their armies upon you, driving you from your home and country into exile and a hail of gunfire
It is, or at least was, BBC policy that news stories shall have more than one source except in special circumstances. I discovered this while preparing a submission to the British Government in 2004 on the renewal of the BBC Charter.
Too many news organisations just want to publish any old rumour, and they complain that English libel law will punish them if the rumour is wrong.
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