By Jacquelin Magnay
Sydney Morning Herald, August 14, 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/news/off-the-field/censors-make-news/2008/08/14/1218307066384.html
CHINA may be losing the public relations battle to control the international
media at the Beijing Games, but within its borders the extensive controls on the
local media have been exposed starkly.
A stunningly frank 21-point plan
from the propaganda bureau was issued to editors
and journalists and orders them to ignore hot international topics and any
issues that may reflect negatively on the Olympic Games.
Banned are
Tibet, Falun Gong, food safety issues, the three official protest parks and
emergencies inside Olympic venues.
The blacklist comes as Chinese
security forces assaulted and detained a British journalist yesterday as he was
filming a pro-Tibetan rally several hundred metres from the Bird's Nest stadium.
Independent Television News China correspondent John Ray was dragged
along the ground, his hands stamped on and his shoes removed before being
detained for a short period after witnessing a pro-Tibetan rally at the Chinese
Ethnic Culture Park by Students for a Free Tibet. Six of the students were
arrested as they waved Free Tibet banners.
But news of the protest has
been blacked out from the mainland Chinese press, as has news of the faked
opening ceremony song, the Olympic connections of the murdered American tourist
and the actress paralysed in rehearsals for the opening ceremony.
The
mainland Chinese journalists have been instructed to use the official Xinhua
news agency for stories about diplomatic ties between China and other nations,
including Australia.
"Over the diplomatic ties between China and some
certain nations, don't do interviews on your own and don't use online stories,"
the instructions state.
"Instead, adopt Xinhua stories only. Particularly
on the Doha round negotiation, US elections, China-Iran co-operation,
China-Aussie co-operation, China-Zimbabwe co-operation, China-Paraguay
co-operation."
The journalists have been told that in the event of an
emergency involving foreign tourists they must follow the official line.
But "if there's no official line, stay away from it. Over possible
subway accidents in the capital, please follow the official line. Be positive on
security measures. There's also no need to make a fuss about our anti-terror
efforts," the report says.
The eighth point states: "All food safety
issues, such as cancer-causing mineral water, is off the limits."
The
21-point plan was reported in the South China Morning Post, but its
existence was denied by the Games organisers.
"There is no such 21-point
document," the Beijing Olympic Committee vice president, Wang Wei, said
yesterday.
"Chinese media, according to the Chinese constitution, are
free to report on the Games."
But yesterday all news reports of the faked
opening ceremony song involving the little girl in a red dress were blacked out
within China yesterday as Olympic officials staunchly defended the duplicitous
act as an artistic decision.
"I didn't see anything wrong with it," Mr
Wang said.
"This was a decision of the directors to achieve the most
theatrical effect."
But the IOC's executive director of games, Gilbert
Felli, said: "I think it is clear that the right information has to be given to
the people."
Olympic officials had previously said an actress suffered
only a broken leg during a heavy fall from a high stage during the Silk Road
segment, denying reporters' questions that she was paralysed. However, the
Yangtze
Evening News yesterday posted details and photographs of
Beijing Dance Academy dancer Liu Yan, saying she has lost all feeling in her
legs after falling from a flying blanket to a moving platform at rehearsals on
July 27.
The paper quotes opening ceremony director Zhang Zimou saying:
"You're the deepest pain in my heart, if I could see you stand on your feet
again, it would make me much more excited and happier than any praise I've
received."
The IOC and China's ministry of industry and information
technology, which is in charge of the internet in China, have both declined to
comment on the press restrictions.
EDICTS FROM THE PROPAGANDA DEPARTMENT
• No reporting on
the pro-Tibet independence movement.
• All food safety issues, such as
"cancer-causing mineral water", off limits.
• No interviews allowed at the
three protest parks.
• No negative comments about the opening ceremony.
•
Follow the official line on international matters ie. no fuss about Darfur or UN
reform.
• In case of emergencies involving tourists, follow the official
line. If no line, "stay away from it".
• Properly handle coverage of the
China Olympic team: don't overhype gold medals or issue predictions on medal
numbers, keep a cool head on the team’s performance.
• Refrain from
publishing opinion pieces at odds with the official propaganda line of the Chinese delegation.