The Fog of Censorship Media Control in China (He Qinglian) (z-lib.org)

THE FOG OF
CENSORSHIP

MEDIA CONTROL IN CHINA

A HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA PUBLICATION HE QINGLIAN



The Fog of Censorship

OTHER PUBLICATIONS BY HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA

Empty Promises: Human Rights Protections and China’s Criminal Procedure Law
(2001)
China: Minority Exclusion, Marginalization and Rising Tensions (2007)
State Secrets: China’s Legal Labyrinth (2007)
Challenging China: Struggle and Hope in an Era of Change (2007)

THE FOG
OF CENSORSHIP

MEDIA CONTROL IN CHINA

He Qinglian

   

Human Rights in China |  ,    

Copyright © 2008 by Human Rights in China

He, Qinglian.
The Fog of Censorship: Media control in China
ISBN 13 978-0-9717356-2-0, ISBN 0-9717356-2-X
Library of Congress Control Number: 2007926101

This book is the translation of an expanded and updated version of Media Control in China
(Zhongguo zhengfu ruhe kongzhi meiti), published in Chinese by Human Rights in China in
2004. The expanded and updated Chinese edition was published in Taiwan by Li Ming Cultural
Enterprises in 2006 as Wusuo Zhongguo: Zhongguo dalu kongzhi meiti celue da jiemi. Portions
of this translation were previously published in earlier versions in China Rights Forum, the
quarterly journal of Human Rights in China.

      

Printed in the United States by Human Rights in China, New York

Contents

 ix
 xi
xiii
 1

Shattering the Myths about China’s Media Market 22

 

Media Control and Public Ignorance

Media control in China before 1978
Media control since “reform and opening-up” in 1978
The myth of China’s “media reform” in 2003

 

Government Control of the Chinese Media

The law versus the constitution
The Chinese government’s tracking and management of the media
“Unified news coverage” of major incidents
The political education and thought control of media professionals
The life and times of China’s propaganda czars

vi | Contents 44
54
  79

The Political and Economic Control of Media Workers 97
114
The media’s political pyramid
The function of rank
Case study: CCTV’s “Focus”

 

“Internal (neibu) Documents” and the Secrecy System

Anything can be a state secret
Classified documents and public access to information

 

Chinese Journalists—Dancing in Shackles

Control of news sources and reporting
News blackouts of mining disasters
The use of violence
The Public Security Bureau and court orders
A Worker’s Daily issue recalled

 

News Censorship and Half-truths

Interference in the Project Hope corruption scandal
Lies sprinkled with truth: The Nanjing poisoning case

 

Journalism as a High-risk Occupation

The death of Feng Zhaoxia
The arrest of Ma Hailin

The jailing of Gao Qinrong Contents | vii
The recall of a “reactionary book” 129
Jiang Weiping, jailed for subversion 144
Exposing official corruption as a punishable offense 160

 

A Prickly Rosebush Cut Off at the Root

Southern Weekend’s heyday
Reasons for Southern Weekend’s Survival
The gradual evisceration of Southern Weekend
Why was Southern Weekend rendered powerless?

 

Foreign Journalists in China

“Free” foreign journalists and “unfree” interviewees
Containing foreign journalists
Using foreign journalists
Foreign journalists in Chinese media
The stories of two foreign journalists

 

Foreign Investment in China’s Media Industry

Chinese media off-limits to foreign investors
A pack of lies
Controlling access to foreign news in China
Can foreign investment bring press freedom?

viii | Contents 173

  202

The Hijacked Potential of China’s Internet 221
219
The development of the Internet in China 225
The Chinese government’s control of the Internet
China’s “Big Brother”—the “Golden Shield”

The psychological Great Wall of China
The Chinese government’s interference in the Internet

 

Media Control and Foreign Relations

The continued influence of Cold War ideology
on China’s international relations
Ideological indoctrination and the creation of enemies
The effect of propaganda on social ethics
The Chinese government’s control over news and public opinion
Cheering in China after 9/11



How Far is China from Democracy?

Change and continuity in China
Spreading lies to the world
How far is China from democracy?
A democratic China’s contribution to the world

  


Preface

Freedom of expression and of the press, along with freedom of association,
are critical to promoting accountable and transparent governance and the
development of an independent and flourishing civil society. Yet the chal-
lenges presented by systemic information control and censorship in China are
complex, ongoing, and especially difficult in the face of China’s growing interna-
tional influence and presence.

For many years, He Qinglian, a prominent Chinese journalist, economist and
best-selling author, has provided detailed research and trenchant analysis of the
problems facing China. Since 2004, Human Rights in China has been fortunate to
host He Qinglian as our senior researcher-in-residence. In 2004, HRIC published
He Qinglian’s ground-breaking Chinese-language report on media censorship,
Media Control in China. With publication of The Fog of Censorship, we are pleased
to make available this expanded English-language edition of Zhongguo zhengfu
ruhe kongzhi meiti [中国政府如何控制媒体] (2003).

HRIC’s research and advocacy programs have also addressed issues of censor-
ship and the Internet, and the roles of foreign internet technology (IT) compa-
nies and the international community in promoting free flow of information.
HRIC’s support of independent research such as He Qinglian’s projects is an inte-
gral part of our contribution to further understanding by promoting the expres-
sion of diverse opinions and perspectives. We welcome ongoing discussion and
feedback.

S H
Executive Director, Human Rights in China