Latest Chinese Government Directives To Censor Reports Of Official Corruption

Dec 162012
 

Ministry of Truth: Reporting Official Corruption

National Energy Administration head Liu Tienan in Japan, 1998. editor Luo Changping has reported him for disciplinary inspection.

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Another Example Of Pointless Media Censorship In China

Sep 212012
 

And just what purpose does hiding this from the public serve?

Urgent Notice from the Liaoning Provincial Department of Propaganda: Do not conduct interviews, report or comment on the case of City Party Secretary leaving the country without authorization. (August 26, 2012)

辽宁省委宣传部紧急通知：对辽宁凤城市委书记王国强擅自离境一事，不采访，不报道，不评论。

The CDT says that according to Radio France Internationale [zh], Wang Guoqiang is rumored to have fled the country with a large sum of money to evade a investigation. He is thought to have siphoned funds from heating bills. Since bought the local thermoelectric plant, the city has gone without heat for two winters, while still charging residents for “maintenance.”

My guess is trying to hide this has done nothing for the public and a lot of damage to the authorities already tatty reputation. It may have been a vain attempt to save some officials embarrassment or awkward questions but did the authors of this directive really think no-one was going to notice they were freezing and and man in charge of keeping them warm had disappeared with a load of cash?

If you have a censorship policy because you believe it is necessary to protect social harmony then it needs to be used sparingly and with caution. Once it becomes nothing but a tool for the crooked, the weak or the incompetent to hide their faults then social harmony is heading out the door passing social upheaval making its way in.

Chinese Policy On Protests Then And Now – Directives From the Ministry Of Truth

Sep 212012
 

The China Digital Times excellent column “Directives from the Ministry of Truth” highlights the instructions officials hand out to media regarding how they want stories covered or not.

Recently they released an archived set of instructions relating to dealing with protests around the Beijing Olympics. It provides and fascinating insight into the tiny minds of the censors.


A pro-Tibet protester tries to take the Olympic torch, 2008. (Yang Zhen Dong)

This week’s featured directive, issued in April 2008 by the Province information portal, shows the power of “guidance” (引导) over in China. At that time, the Olympic torch relay was plagued at every stop by human rights groups and Tibet independence supporters. After a wheelchair-bound torchbearer was attacked in Paris, netizens called for a boycott of the French hypermarket Carrefour. “The biggest shareholder of Carrefour donated huge money to the ,” fumed the netizen demanding the boycott, “and even the French president has announced boycott of the .”

The directive below instructs provincial websites on how to direct online discussion of the boycott. Read the original Chinese here:

On-duty staff at the Internet office: Each website in every locality must adopt measures concerning netizens boycotting Carrefour and related management prompts to properly tamp down online discussion and prevent a loss of control from influencing domestic . Prepare your reports, guidance and management according to the following requirements:

(1) Give protection to the patriotic fervor of netizens who support the Olympics, who oppose “Tibet independence” and who denounce Western media’s distorted reporting and insults to China. Direct the discussion at the Dalai clique’s secessionist forces, as well as the vile material produced by CNN and a small number of other Western media.

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Chinese Censors: Ironic, Deluded Or Just Drunk? Latest Directives From China’s Ministry Of Truth

Mar 072011
 

The China Digital Times has updated its column “Directives From The Ministry Of Truth” with the latest leaked directives from Chinese censors to the nation’s news organizations.

And at the top of the list, in what may be incontrovertable proof  that Chinese censor’s have a sense of irony, are the directives pertaining to use of the internet which apart from the odd exception appears to be generally in violation of China’s own laws and constitution.  

The following examples of censorship instructions, issued to the media and/or Internet companies by various central (and sometimes local) government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. Chinese journalists and bloggers often refer to those instructions as “Directives from the .” CDT has collected the selections we translate here from a variety of sources and has checked them against official Chinese media reports to confirm their implementation.

Hit the “more” key to see the complete list.

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The Latest From “The Ministry Of Truth”- Chinese Censorship Instructions For Local Media

Dec 142010
 

The China Digital Times has updated its column “Directives From The Ministry Of Truth” with the latest leaked directives from Chinese censors to the nation’s news organizations.

Not surprisingly mention of Nobel Prizes and Liu Xiaobo are right at the top of the “not to be reported on list”

Given the censors are also now forbidding mention of Liu’s furniture following the Nobel Committee’s decision to have him and his wife represented by empty chairs, one can not be surprised that another story not to be mentioned was ”railway ticket refund machines”. 

It is an ill omen for the Chinese leadership if even the vending machines have had enough and must be, one assumes given their censored status, issuing refunds demanding a democratic, open society as well.
One wonders what will be banned next. What ever it is “Instructions from the Ministry of Truth” will be sure to have it.

Urgent Directive From the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television

December 10, 2010

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The Latest From “The Ministry Of Truth”- Chinese Censorship Instructions For Local Media

Nov 132010
 

The China Digital Times has updated its column “Directives From The Ministry Of Truth” with the latest leaked directives from Chinese censors to the nation’s news organizations.

In the latest batch items to be avoided include, unsurprisingly at number one, Liu Xiaobo and the Nobel Prize, deaths in custody, a senior official’s immoral conduct, the World Famous Architecture District in Urumqi and other assorted subjects.

The regular column is compiled from online sources and direct leaks and then corroborated. It is a fascinating incite into a censor’s mind. Topics covered include politics and crime through to pop music lyrics.

The CDT posts the original Chinese edicts and then translates them into English.

For those interested in China’s censorship practices and standards it is well worth a look. Back postings are available on the CDT website.  On the same web page there is a very good overview of how censorship is run in China.

Website Leaks Chinese Censorship Instructions For Local Media

Sep 082010
 

The China Digital Times has updated its column “Directives From The Ministry Of Truth” with the latest leaked directives from Chinese censors to the nation’s news organizations.

The regular column is compiled from online sources and direct leaks and then corroborated. It is a fascinating incite into a censor’s mind. Topics covered include politics and crime through to pop music lyrics.

The CDT posts the original Chinese edicts and then translates them into English.

For those interested in China’s censorship practices and standards it is well worth a look. Back postings are available on the CDT website.  On the same web page there is a very good overview of how censorship is run in China.