BEIJING (TIP): About 250,000 Chinese journalists will be given on-the-job training under a specially designed program by the government’s media agency, which also implements laws on censoring and “guiding” the media. The move suggests greater government control over media and flies in the face of expectations that it was allowing greater freedom. The State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television on Thursday said the program will cover all reporting staff with newspapers, news agencies, TV stations and other press organizations in the country. The training is mandatory. It will last for three months until the end of 2013. Chinese media training involves courses on patriotism and journalists in the program are required to wear military uniforms on certain days. Currently, media organizations have separate training program for their staff. Now, the government has created a unified training program, which will be provided free. Journalist need to pass a post training examination to obtain press card or accreditation. The training will focus on six subjects, including theories on socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Marxist view on journalism, journalistic ethics, laws and regulations, norms in news gathering and editing, and content on preventing false information.
China to train 250,000 journalists before they get work passes
