The New American
SINGAPORE — The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has tightened media control by putting more limitations in its criteria for China’s journalist-qualification examination.
On Dec. 30 last year, The Epoch Times reported, the CCP’s National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) declared a series of new “Measures for the Professional Qualification Examination for Journalists” to be implemented July 1. These new regulations, jointly published by the NPPA and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, have a purported aim to “implement the requirements of Party-controlled propaganda, Party-controlled ideology, and Party-controlled media.”
The examination was crafted to evaluate whether journalists harbor the prerequisite “political qualities.” Put simply, this examination is an indicator of the extent to which journalists would maintain the CCP’s ideology and follow the party’s political directives.
“Applicants must support the leadership of the Communist Party of China, conscientiously study, publicize and implement Xi Jinping’s thoughts on the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, resolutely implement the party’s theory, line, principles and policies, and adhere to the correct political direction and public opinion guidance,” the directive read.
The examination will be designed from a list of questions and answers written by the administration, and the Ministry of Human Resources will be tasked with conducting the examinations nationwide and determining who would qualify to sit for them.
For decades, the draconian Chinese regime has been integrating and fortifying its control over journalists and the media. A less stringent examination implemented in 2020 was the predecessor to the new standardized examination. The latter is poised to assess journalists’ ability to provide politically correct answers in a professional setting, based on a Radio Free Asiareport. Those journalists judged to be out of touch with the party line could lose their press credentials, in much the same way China’s lawyers have been suppressed by the CCP.
Since journalists will have to pass the exam to receive a press card, the only legal document permitting them to operate in China, China’s press regulator will maintain files on all journalists’ professional qualifications.
Beijing-based current-affairs commentator Hua Po remarked that as press cards are only valid for five years, journalists will likely have to retake the quinquennial examination. “It’s a way of strengthening control,” Hua said. “I fear that they want to strengthen journalists’ grasp of ideology; they won’t be able to watch from the sidelines anymore.”…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE… – The New American
Home | Caravan to Midnight (zutalk.com)
We need your help to keep Caravan to Midnight going,
please consider donating to help keep independent media independent.