OSC Media Aid: PRC State Council Websites Overseeing Media

CPF20090317317001 China -- OSC Media Aid in English 17 Mar 09

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The websites of major PRC State Council organizations dealing with media carry sponsored publications and press agencies, news produced internally as well as from Xinhua, and information about the institutions' organization and leaders.  State Council organizations dealing with the media include the Ministry of Culture; the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television; the General Administration of Press and Publication; the State Council Information Office; and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.  In addition, China's official news agency Xinhua, providing domestic and international news, is officially under the State Council.

Ministry of Culture
www.mcprc.gov.cn

The Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China focuses on policies and legislation concerning the cultural and art industries.  The department, which is headed by Director Cai Wu, is responsible for the implementation of strategies and programs to develop cultural reforms, the building of national book and literature resources, and the management of and legislation on the cultural industry market, cultural relics, and national cultural events.  In addition, the Ministry of Culture is involved in the formation of treaties regarding China's international cultural exchanges.

Screenshot from the Ministry of Culture website

The website's main page features a list of department leaders and links to short biographies of each of them.  There is also a link to the Ministry of Culture's provincial offices and international sites with contact information for each institution. According to the website, the Ministry of Culture sponsors the Zhongguo Wenhua Bao She (Chinese Cultural Newspaper Agency) which publishes the weekly Zhongguo Wenhua Bao (China Cultural Report).  In addition, the Zhongguo Wenhua Bao She also publishes Wenhua Shenghuo (The Cultured Life), Meishu (Art), Qiye Wenhua (Business Culture), and other weekly publications.

The articles on the Ministry of Culture website appear to be internally produced, and many appear in the department's China Cultural Report.  The reports contain news on national policies and leadership, cultural events and performances, and cross-cultural exchange.

State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television
www.chinasarft.gov.cn

The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television is in charge of researching and drafting policies pertaining to radio and television propaganda; creating guidelines and policy on film and videos; and managing reforms in radio, film, and television.  Led by Director Wang Taihua, the department also implements legislation for the administration of radio, film, and television programs and examines and endorses television and radio broadcast programming from the county-level and above.

Screenshot from the SARFT website

A list of department leaders is accessible through a link to "Leader Speeches" (ling dao jiang hua).  The website does not contain leader biographies; however, there are separate pages for leaders containing links to the transcripts of their speeches.  According to the website, many of China's prominent television and radio stations, including CCTV, China Radio International, and the Central People's Radio Station (zhong yang ren min guang bo dian tai) are directly under the department.

Most of the articles featured on the website are produced by the department and concern policies for provincial-level bureaus, radio and television station programming, productions, events, and performances.

General Administration of Press and Publication of the People's Republic of China
www.gapp.gov.cn

The General Administration of Press and Publication of the People's Republic of China (GAPP) focuses on drafting and implementing legislation concerning national news media and copyright laws.  The department is also responsible for the supervision of media outlets and the printing industry, organizing investigations of cases involving the infringement of copyright laws, and coordinating the "eliminate pornography and illegal publications" (sao huang da fei) campaign.  In addition, the department supervises imported and exported publications.

Screenshot from the GAPP website

The GAPP website's main page has links to the pages for individual leaders, containing their resumes; transcripts of speeches; and important contributions to the work of the department.  Major media organizations under the GAPP include The News Press Department (xin wen bao kan si) and the China Press and Publishing Journal.  Articles from major media sources appear on the website; links to pages of recent articles appear under major titles such as "vocational news" (hang ye xin wen), "picture news" (tu pian xin wen), and "personnel news" (tu pian xin wen).  A 7 October 2008 China Press and Publishing Journal article reported that the "People's Press" (ren min chu ban she) organized a donation of books on "scientific development view" (ke xue fa zhan guan) to peasants from the outskirts of Beijing.  Another 7 October 2008 article from the China Press and Publishing Journal reported that the GAPP Party Group recently met to discuss implications and practical implementations of the scientific development concept.  The website also features articles from the Xinhua News Agency as well as provincial-level newspapers and periodicals.

State Council Information Office
www.scio.gov.cn

The State Council Information Office (SCIO) is responsible for promoting Chinese media throughout the world in an effort to disseminate information on Chinese domestic and international policy, economic and social development, history, technology, education, and culture. The department, which is headed by Director Wang Chen, also hosts news conferences and provides books, materials, and films to other countries to showcase Chinese culture and society.  Finally, the department focuses on the development of communication between China and other countries' governments and media organizations.

Screenshot from the State Council website

The website's main page links to a list of department leaders, with biographies of each department leader provided.  In addition, there are links to each department leader's speeches, important events, and pictures.  The website does not indicate that the SCIO is in charge of outside media organizations.  Most articles which appear on the website are attributed to the SCIO website itself.  There are a number of links to media resources on State Council news conferences and the news conferences of other departments.  Recent Xinhua articles on politics, the economy, culture, and society appear under the website's "Media hot topics" (mei ti re dian) section.  The website also features "Internet News Hookups" (wang luo chuan bo) from news publications such as Huanqiu and Zhongguo Qingnian Bao.

State Administration of Cultural Heritage
www.sach.gov.cn

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage is responsible for implementing policies and legislation geared toward the development of the museum industry and protection of cultural relics.  The department is also in charge of examining and verifying historical artifacts and World Cultural Heritage Programs as well as dealing with major problems in the preservation of cultural artifacts.  The website's main page features a link to a page with a list of department leaders; Dan Jixiang is listed as the director.  Other department leaders appear on the page, and there are links to each leader's resume.

Screenshot from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage website

Major media organizations under the department include Zhongguo Wenwu Baoshe (Chinese Cultural Relics News Agency) and Wenwu Chubanshe (Cultural Relics Publishing House).  According to the website, Zhongguo Wenwu Baoshe is China's leading media source on archaeology; publishing periodicals Zhongguo Wenwu Bao (Chinese Cultural Relics), Wenwu Tiandi (World Relics), and  Zhongguo Wenhua Yichan(Chinese Cultural Heritage).  Wenwu Chubanshe publishes the monthly e-journal Wenwu (Cultural Relics) and the seasonal e-journal Shufa Zongkan (Calligraphy Series).

In addition to these periodicals, the department website also contains news items from provincial-level museums. A 25 September 2008 article published by the Jiangxi Province Cultural Office of the Museum Department mentioned that a state research group came to Jiangxi to launch a new museum and conduct research.

Xinhua Tongxun She (New China News Agency)
www.xinhuanet.com

Xinhua News Agency is China's official news agency and formally under the authority of the State Council.[a]  As the news service of the CPC Central Committee, Xinhua is managed directly by the party's Propaganda Department. The agency also serves as the PRC Government's interface with foreign news organizations operating in China.

Screenshot from the Xinhua website



[a] For a full description of Xinhua and other major Chinese media agencies, see the updated 19 March 2007 OSC Media Aid, PRC Media Guide .