Podcast
Protection of journalists' rights stressed
Updated: 2010-08-02 10:56
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The country's top administration for press and publication has stressed the protection of reporters' rights in newsgathering, following a string of suspected attacks against journalists who exposed scandals.
"Media organizations have the right to know, interview, publish, criticize and supervise issues related to national and public interests," the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) said in a statement on its website over the weekend.
"Normal and legal newsgathering activities by media organizations and their reporters and editors are protected by law," the GAPP said.
The administration said it will conduct special inspections across the country in the second half of this year and will require local press and publication departments to better protect the legal rights of local media organizations. The inspections will check the implementation of two regulations issued by the administration last year - the management of local bureaus of newspapers and periodicals, and the management of press cards.
In 2007 and 2008, the administration issued two circulars to urge related government authorities to offer help and necessary protection to legal newsgathering activities.
The circulars also made it clear that any disturbance or obstruction of reporters' rights is prohibited.
The GAPP latest move came after the case of a business reporter who was wrongly accused by a local public security bureau in Zhejiang province.
Qiu Ziming, a journalist with the Beijing-based Economic Observer, a business weekly, was on a national online list of criminals wanted by the public security bureau of Zhejiang's Suichang county from July 23 to 30. Qiu's previous reports exposing suspected insider trading in a listed company in the region were accused of "containing false information" and "having damaged the company's reputation", Wang Shengzhong, editor-in-chief of the weekly, told China Daily last Wednesday.
After the case received widespread attention from both the media and the public, the county public security bureau removed Qiu from the wanted list on Friday. Local publicity and public security officials arrived in Beijing the same day to apologize to Qiu.
Questions:
1. What does GAPP stand for?
2. How many circulars about journalists’ protection were issued in 2007 and 2008?
3. What is the name of the journalist with the Economic Observer?
Answers:
1. General Administration of Press and Publication.
2. Two
3. Qiu Ziming
（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.