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107-550: It directly controls state-owned enterprises at the national level such as China Central Television , China National Radio , and China Radio International , as well as other movie and television studios and other non-business organizations. The administration was formerly known as the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) from 2013 to 2018, and the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) from 1998 to 2013. In 1986

214-571: A watershed event, reaction to the protests set limits on political expression in China that have lasted up to the present day. The events remain one of the most sensitive and most widely censored topics in China . The Chinese government has used numerous names for the event since 1989. As the events unfolded, it was labeled a " counter revolutionary rebellion", which was later changed to simply "riot", followed by "political turmoil" and "1989 storm". Outside mainland China, and among circles critical of

321-611: A 32-day period which defamed practitioners and incited hatred against them. In 2001, they deceptively claimed that a group of people who had set themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square were Falun Gong adherents, a claim which was characterized as "clearly abusive" by the Canadian regulatory commission. On 23 January 2011, Xinwen Lianbo showcased the Chengdu J-10 firing a missile at a plane, causing it to explode. The footage lasted half

428-652: A Chinese banner that said "Muammar Gaddafi is a lier. [ sic ]" was shown in some Libyan demonstration videos on the Internet. In 2019, CCTV announced that they were cancelling the broadcast of two National Basketball Association preseason games in response to a tweet by the General Manager of the Houston Rockets , Daryl Morey , in support of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. After Adam Silver defended

535-545: A clear-cut stand against disturbances ". The language in the editorial effectively branded the student movement to be an anti-party, anti-government revolt. The editorial invoked memories of the Cultural Revolution, using similar rhetoric that had been used during the 1976 Tiananmen Incident —an event that was initially branded an anti-government conspiracy but was later rehabilitated as "patriotic" under Deng's leadership. The article enraged students, who interpreted it as

642-744: A code of conduct for online hosts of live streams and podcasts banning any content that "weakens, distorts, or denies the leadership of the CCP." In its role of providing the physical infrastructure for broadcasting the NRTA plays a similar role in China as TDF Group plays in France, or Crown Castle plays in the US or Australia. It owns and operates, as well as manages many thousands of MW, FM, TV and Shortwave relay transmitters in China (as well as those leased abroad for external broadcasting). China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting (CMMB)

749-401: A complaint against China Global Television Network (CGTN) and China Central Television-4 (CCTV-4) with Canadian authorities. On 21 November 2019, CCTV's international arm CGTN aired a video of a forced confession from Hong Kong activist Simon Cheng . Within a week, Cheng had filed a new complaint to Ofcom over the broadcast. In 2020, the forced confession of Taiwanese citizen Lee Meng-chu

856-611: A concerted attempt to achieve material prosperity. To oversee his reform agenda, Deng promoted his allies to top government and party posts. Zhao Ziyang was named Premier , the head of government, in September 1980, and Hu Yaobang became CCP General Secretary in 1982. Deng's reforms aimed to decrease the state's role in the economy and gradually allow private production in agriculture and industry. By 1981, roughly 73% of rural farms had been de-collectivized, and 80% of state-owned enterprises were permitted to retain their profits. While

963-477: A consistent record of blatantly and egregiously violating journalistic standards and encouraging or justifying hatred and violence against innocent people. CCTV is an essential component of the CCP's brutal authoritarian regime and should be treated as such." In 2020, the United States Department of State designated CCTV as a foreign mission , which requires it to disclose more about its operations in

1070-411: A deep chasm within the central leadership. The reformers ("the right", led by Hu Yaobang) favored political liberalization and a plurality of ideas as a channel to voice popular discontent and pressed for further reforms. The conservatives ("the left", led by Chen Yun ) said that the reforms had gone too far and advocated a return to greater state control to ensure social stability and to better align with

1177-457: A direct indictment of the protests and its cause. The editorial backfired: instead of scaring students into submission, it antagonized the students and put them squarely against the government. The editorial's polarizing nature made it a major sticking point for the remainder of the protests. Organized by the Union on 27 April, some 50,000–100,000 students from all Beijing universities marched through

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1284-534: A guideline, detailed steps to be taken for political reform, including promoting the rule of law and the separation of powers , imposing de-centralization, and improving the election system. At this Congress, Zhao was elected to be the CCP General Secretary. During the demonstrations, protesters received a significant amount of support from domestic and outside sources. The Chinese University in Hong Kong donated HK$ 10,000 by early May, and groups such as

1391-501: A highly inefficient bureaucracy that gave power to officials who had little expertise in areas under their jurisdiction. Facing a dismal job market and limited chances of going abroad, intellectuals and students had a greater vested interest in political issues. Small study groups, such as the "Democracy Salon" ( Chinese : 民主沙龙 ; pinyin : Mínzhǔ Shālóng ) and the "Lawn Salon" ( 草地沙龙 ; Cǎodì Shālóng ), began appearing on Beijing university campuses. These organizations motivated

1498-405: A market with chronic shortages, price fluctuation allowed people with powerful connections to buy goods at low prices and sell at market prices. Party bureaucrats in charge of economic management had enormous incentives to engage in such arbitrage . Discontent over corruption reached a fever pitch with the public; and many, particularly intellectuals, began to believe that only democratic reform and

1605-536: A program has acceptable content, preventing the broadcast of material that contains inappropriate content or expresses views against the CCP. In March 2018, as the nation began marking the 60th year of television, CCTV ownership changed hands to a new state holding group, the China Media Group . In 1990, CCTV subsidiary, CITVC, established China Television Corporation in California to distribute CCTV content in

1712-570: A quick resolution to the crisis and framed the protests as a conspiracy to overthrow China's political system and prominent party leaders, including Deng Xiaoping. In Zhao's absence, the PSC agreed to take firm action against the protesters. On the morning of 25 April, President Yang Shangkun and Premier Li Peng met with Deng at the latter's residence. Deng endorsed a hardline stance and said an appropriate warning must be disseminated via mass media to curb further demonstrations. The meeting firmly established

1819-491: A return to more confrontational tactics. They settled on a plan of mobilizing students for a hunger strike that would begin on 13 May. Early attempts to mobilize others to join them met with only modest success until Chai Ling made an emotional appeal on the night before the strike was scheduled to begin. Students began the hunger strike on 13 May, two days before the highly publicized state visit by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev . Knowing that Gorbachev's welcoming ceremony

1926-559: A second and the destroyed plane shown was later identified as that of an F-5E , a US fighter jet. The clip was later revealed to have been taken from the 1986 US movie Top Gun . In 2011, the new CCTV head Hu Zhanfan "was found to have proclaimed in July [or January, both before the CCTV appointment in November] that journalists' foremost responsibility is to 'be a good mouthpiece ' " Internet posts of

2033-668: A speech titled "On the Reform of the Party and State Leadership System" (" 党和国家领导制度改革 ") at a full meeting of the CCP Politburo in Beijing, launching political reforms in China. He called for a systematic revision of China's constitution, criticizing bureaucracy, centralization of power, and patriarchy, while proposing term limits for the leading positions in China and advocating " democratic centralism " and " collective leadership ." In December 1982,

2140-462: A warning from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that its reports were harming China's international image. Following this incident, senior editorial staff and journalists were all forced to write self-criticisms." Brady says that while the channel's equipment is state-of-the-art, the employees are not well trained in how to use it, so there are frequent errors during a broadcast. "The political controls on

2247-492: Is a key player in the Chinese government's propaganda network. According to Freedom House and other media commentators, CCTV's reporting about topics sensitive to the Chinese government and CCP is distorted and often used as a weapon against the party's perceived enemies. In 1954, CCP chairman Mao Zedong put forward that China should establish its own TV station. On 5 February 1955, the central broadcasting bureau reported to

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2354-760: Is a mobile television and multimedia standard developed and specified in China by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT). It is based on the Satellite and Terrestrial Interactive Multiservice Infrastructure (STiMi), developed by TiMiTech, a company formed by the Chinese Academy of Broadcasting Science. Announced in October 2006, it has been described as being similar to Europe's DVB-SH standard for digital video broadcast from both satellites and terrestrial 'gap fillers' to handheld devices. It specifies usage of

2461-1007: The People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency . The current president of CCTV is Shen Haixiong , who was appointed in February 2018, and also appointed as a deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party . CCTV produces its own news broadcasts three times a day and is the country's most powerful and prolific television program producer. Its thirty-minute evening news, Xinwen Lianbo (" CCTV Network News " or " CCTV Tonight ", Chinese : 新闻联播 ), goes on air daily at 7:00 pm Beijing time. All local stations are required to carry CCTV's news broadcast. An internal CCTV survey indicates that nearly 500 million people countrywide regularly watch this program. Focus Report ( jiaodian fangtan ), first introduced in 1994,

2568-818: The 2022 FIFA World Cup censored scenes of maskless fans in the stadium. CCTV avoided coverage of the protests directly. In 2023, CCTV ran paid ads on social media platforms in multiple countries and languages denouncing the discharge of radioactive water of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant , which critics labeled part of a concerted disinformation campaign. 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre [REDACTED] Chinese Communist Party Demonstrators Deng Xiaoping ( CMC chairman ) Hardliners: Moderates: Student leaders: Workers: Intellectuals: The Tiananmen Square protests , known in Chinese as

2675-577: The 2022 Winter Paralympics , CCTV censored a speech by International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine . CCTV promoted Russian disinformation such as unsubstantiated claims of biological weapons labs in Ukraine . In April 2022, CCTV repeated Russian claims that the Bucha massacre was staged. During the 2022 COVID-19 protests in China , CCTV's coverage of

2782-584: The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China were founded in support of the protests. Funding also came from the United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and countries across Europe. When Hu Yaobang suddenly died of a heart attack on 15 April 1989, students reacted strongly, most of them believing that his death was related to his forced resignation. Hu's death provided

2889-578: The June Fourth Incident , were student-led demonstrations held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing , China, lasting from 15 April to 4 June 1989. After weeks of unsuccessful attempts between the demonstrators and the Chinese government to find a peaceful resolution, the Chinese government declared martial law on the night of 3 June and deployed troops to occupy the square in what is referred to as

2996-508: The May Fourth Movement and repeated demands from earlier marches, many students were satisfied with the government's concessions. On 4 May, all Beijing universities except PKU and BNU announced the end of the classroom boycott. Subsequently, most students began to lose interest in the movement. The government was divided on how to respond to the movement as early as mid-April. After Zhao Ziyang's return from North Korea, tensions between

3103-746: The Ministry of Culture Film Bureau and the Ministry of Radio and Television merged to form the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television (MRFT). On 25 June 1998 the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television reorganized as the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television . In 1998, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) began the Connecting Every Village with Radio and TV Project, which extended radio and television broadcasting to every village in China. Then successful implementation of this project subsequently influenced

3210-565: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology 's Connecting Every Village Project, which developed telecommunications and internet infrastructure in rural China. In March 2013 the State Council announced plans to merge State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television with the General Administration of Press and Publication to form the State Administration of Press and Publication, Radio, Film, and Television . In March 2018,

3317-595: The State Council and proposed the program of establishing a medium-sized television station, later on premier Zhou Enlai included in China's first five-year plan the planned introduction of television broadcasts. In December 1957, the central broadcasting bureau sent Luo Donghe and Meng Qiyu to the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic for the inspection of their TV stations (see Television in

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3424-579: The Tiananmen Square massacre . The events are sometimes called the '89 Democracy Movement , the Tiananmen Square Incident , or the Tiananmen uprising . The protests were precipitated by the death of pro-reform Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretary Hu Yaobang in April 1989 amid the backdrop of rapid economic development and social change in post-Mao China , reflecting anxieties among

3531-499: The one-party system and opposed the implementation of Western-style constitutionalism . In October 1987, at the 13th National Congress of the CCP , Zhao Ziyang gave a report drafted by Bao Tong on the political reforms. In his speech titled "Advance Along the Road of Socialism with Chinese characteristics " (" 沿着有中国特色的社会主义道路前进 "), Zhao argued that socialism in China was still in its primary stage and, taking Deng's speech in 1980 as

3638-419: The " iron rice bowl ", i.e., social benefits such as job security, medical care, and subsidized housing. In 1978, reformist leaders had envisioned that intellectuals would play a leading role in guiding the country through reforms, but this did not happen as planned. On one hand, the massive New Enlightenment movement led by intellectuals promoted a variety of liberal philosophies and values that challenged

3745-528: The "mouthpiece" comment. CCTV regularly broadcasts the forced confessions of accused or convicted criminals and produces programming to go along with them. These programs are often filmed before the beginning of formal judicial procedures. Domestic dissidents such as lawyers, journalists, and activists as well as foreigners have been the victim of this practice. In 2013, Peter Humphrey and Charles Xue 's forced confessions were aired on CCTV. Since being freed, Humphrey has been highly critical of CCTV and

3852-546: The 2.6 GHz frequency band and occupies 25 MHz bandwidth within which it provides 25 video and 30 radio channels with some additional data channels. Multiple companies have chips that support CMMB standard - Innofidei who was the first with a solution March 28, 2007, Siano Mobile Silicon(with the SMS118x chip family, which support diversity and have superb performance) and more. The NRTA issues mandatory guidelines for media content. In 2011 and 2012 (when still SARFT) it limited

3959-506: The Chinese New Year—is the most-watched CCTV show. In 2003, CCTV launched its first 24-hour news channel, initially available to cable viewers. As of 2007 , China's television audience rose to 1.2 billion. As content becomes more diversified, there have been concerns about the audience share, as CCTV is losing out to cable, satellite and regional networks. In Guangzhou for example, CCTV programming only accounts for 45% of

4066-463: The General Manager's right to free speech , CCTV responded with, "We express our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to Silver's stated support of Morey's right to free speech. We believe any remarks that challenge national sovereignty and social stability do not belong to the category of free speech," and continued, "We will also immediately examine all other cooperation and exchanges with the NBA." During

4173-483: The SAPPRFT was abolished and its functions of the movie, press and publication industry regulation were moved from the State Council to the CCP's Central Propaganda Department. In July 2021, the NRTA entered into an agreement with Russia's Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media to cooperate on news coverage and media narratives. In June 2022, the NRTA and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued

4280-829: The Soviet Union and Deutscher Fernsehfunk ), then the duo returned to Beijing to prepare for the establishment of the TV station. In time for its 20th jubilee, Beijing Television was formally renamed China Central Television on 1 May 1978, and a new logo was unveiled. Until the late 1970s, CCTV held only evening broadcasts, usually closing down at midnight. During the summer and winter academic vacations, it occasionally transmitted daytime programming for students, while special daytime programs were aired during national holidays. In 1980, CCTV experimented with news relays from local and central television studios via microwave . It also had its first international collaboration that year, production of

4387-444: The U.S. Since its inception CCTV has served as a tool of state power and as such has been complicit in human rights abuses. They have a history of demonizing and inciting hatred against those perceived as foes by the CCP, in this way they can be used to mobilize against threats as diverse as Falun Gong and international human rights groups. In 1999, during the first crackdown on Falun Gong , CCTV's Focus Talk ran 28 episodes over

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4494-594: The U.S. In 2000, CCTV's all-English channel, known as CCTV-9 or CCTV International, was launched. In 2001, the Great Foreign Propaganda Plan was launched by Xu Guangchun, the head of SARFT, also the deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party after the urgency of bringing the voice of China to the world was presented by Jiang Zemin , former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party . The idea of an English channel

4601-837: The US and Europe, mainly delivering CCTV-9 programs. The CCTV-4 channel split into three separate channels on 1 April 2007—each serving different time zones: China Standard Time (CST), Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), and Eastern Standard Time (EST)—in order to improve service for audiences around the world. On 25 July 2009, CCTV launched its Arabic-language international channel, stating that it aims to maintain stronger links with Arab nations. In 2015 and 2018, CCTV signed cooperation agreements with Russian state media outlet RT . In December 2016, CCTV's foreign language services were spun off into China Global Television Network (CGTN) . CCTV and Uzbekistan 's National Television and Radio Corporation (UzTRK) cooperate to produce joint programs and documentaries. China Network Television (CNTV)

4708-491: The administration. After police restrained the students from entering the compound, they staged a sit-in . On 19 April, students hold aloft a banner "Freedom & Democracy Enlightenment" on the Monument, under a giant portrait of Hu Yaobang. On 20 April, most students had been persuaded to leave Xinhua Gate. To disperse about 200 students that remained, police used batons; minor clashes were reported. Many students felt abused by

4815-406: The areas of agriculture, light industry, services, and foreign investment. The job market was especially limited for students specializing in social sciences and the humanities. Moreover, private companies no longer needed to accept students assigned to them by the state, and many high-paying jobs were offered based on nepotism and favoritism. Gaining a good state-assigned placement meant navigating

4922-461: The army and demonstrators left many on both sides severely injured, a meeting held among the CCP's top leadership on 1 June concluded with a decision to clear the square. The troops advanced into central parts of Beijing on the city's major thoroughfares in the early morning hours of 4 June and engaged in bloody clashes with demonstrators attempting to block them, in which many people – demonstrators, bystanders, and soldiers – were killed. Estimates of

5029-468: The arrest of the Gang of Four . That movement, spearheaded by Mao, had caused severe damage to the country's initially diverse economic and social fabric. As a result, the country was now mired in poverty as economic production slowed or came to a halt. Political ideology was paramount in the lives of ordinary people as well as the inner workings of the party itself. In September 1977, Deng Xiaoping proposed

5136-538: The audience" in a letter written by a number of Chinese intellectuals who also called for a boycott of state media was posted on a US-based website and has circulated through Chinese websites. The network often publishes misleading and false information, particularly as it pertains to issues considered sensitive by the Chinese government. However, only a small percentage of the Network's programming can be described as "abusive or demonizing propaganda." Journalists working for

5243-407: The case for further dialogue. In preparation for dialogue, the Union elected representatives to a formal delegation. However, there was some friction as the Union leaders were reluctant to let the delegation unilaterally take control of the movement. The movement was slowed by a change to a more deliberate approach, fractured by internal discord, and increasingly diluted by declining engagement from

5350-713: The city's Xihua Gate. In Changsha, 38 stores were ransacked by looters. Over 350 people were arrested in both cities for looting. In Wuhan, university students organized protests against the provincial government. As the situation became more volatile nationally, Zhao Ziyang called numerous meetings of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC). Zhao stressed three points: discourage students from further protests and ask them to go back to class, use all measures necessary to combat rioting, and open forms of dialogue with students at different levels of government. Premier Li Peng called upon Zhao to condemn protestors and recognize

5457-458: The coalition forces attacked Libyan civilians and the military intervention was no different from an invasion. In some of the news reports, CCTV used images of demonstrators and said that they were against NATO's military intervention. CCTV also mislabeled a person holding a banner which said "Vive la France" ("long live France" in French) and claimed that he was a supporter of Gaddafi. Later on 27 March,

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5564-510: The comment blossomed after the appointment, one "juxtapos[ing] CCTV's ... Xinwen Lianbo (新闻联播) and photos of Chinese crowds waving red flags with black-and-white images from Nazi-era Germany ". Comparisons with the Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels also spread. Official media coverage of the Zhanfan's presentation focused on his call to avoid "fake news and false reports (失实报道)" but also incorporated

5671-482: The country. In response, Deng Xiaoping warned that Fang was blindly worshipping Western lifestyles, capitalism, and multi-party systems while undermining China's socialist ideology, traditional values, and the party's leadership. In December 1986, inspired by Fang and other "people-power" movements worldwide, student demonstrators staged protests against the slow pace of reform. The issues were wide-ranging and included demands for economic liberalization , democracy, and

5778-501: The crackdown within mainland China, the crackdown is commonly referred to in Chinese as "June Fourth Massacre" ( 六四屠殺 ; liù-sì túshā ) and "June Fourth Crackdown" ( 六四鎮壓 ; liù-sì zhènyā ). To bypass censorship by the Great Firewall , alternative names have sprung up to describe the events on the Internet, such as May 35th, VIIV ( Roman numerals for 6 and 4), Eight Squared (since 8 =64) and 8964 (in yymd format). In English,

5885-618: The crowd as they waited for the Premier to emerge. However, no leaders emerged from the Great Hall, leaving the students disappointed and angry; some called for a classroom boycott. On 21 April, students began organizing under the banners of formal organizations. On 23 April, in a meeting of around 40 students from 21 universities, the Beijing Students' Autonomous Federation (also known as the Union)

5992-488: The death toll vary from several hundred to several thousand, with thousands more wounded. The event had both short and long term consequences. Western countries imposed arms embargoes on China, and various Western media outlets labeled the crackdown a " massacre ". In the aftermath of the protests, the Chinese government suppressed other protests around China , carried out mass arrests of protesters which catalyzed Operation Yellowbird , strictly controlled coverage of

6099-489: The documentary series Silk Road with Japan's public broadcasting company, NHK . In 1984, CCTV established the wholly-owned subsidiary China International Television Corporation  [ Wikidata ] (CITVC). By 1985, CCTV had already become a leading television network in China. In 1987, CCTV's grew due to the adaptation and presentation of Dream of the Red Chamber , the first Chinese television drama to enter

6206-484: The editorial, the Xinhua Gate incident, and freedom of the press, they achieved few substantive results. Independent student leaders such as Wu'erkaixi refused to attend. The government's tone grew increasingly conciliatory when Zhao Ziyang returned from Pyongyang on 30 April and reasserted his authority. In Zhao's view, the hardliner approach was not working, and the concession was the only alternative. Zhao asked that

6313-403: The elite intellectual community that thought China's poverty and underdevelopment, and the disaster of the Cultural Revolution, were a direct result of China's authoritarian political system and rigid command economy. The view that political reform was the only answer to China's ongoing problems gained widespread appeal among students, as Fang's recorded speeches became widely circulated throughout

6420-556: The events in the domestic and foreign affiliated press , and demoted or purged officials it deemed sympathetic to the protests . The government also invested heavily into creating more effective police riot control units. More broadly, the suppression ended the political reforms begun in 1986 as well as the New Enlightenment movement , and halted the policies of liberalization of the 1980s, which were only partly resumed after Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour in 1992. Considered

6527-413: The feasibility of political reform was established in September 1986; the members included Zhao Ziyang , Hu Qili , Tian Jiyun , Bo Yibo and Peng Chong . Deng's intention was to boost administrative efficiency, further separate responsibilities of the Party and the government, and eliminate bureaucracy. Although he spoke in terms of the rule of law and democracy , Deng delimited the reforms within

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6634-416: The first official evaluation of the protests, and highlighted Deng's having "final say" on important issues. Li Peng subsequently ordered Deng's views to be drafted as a communique and issued to all high-level Communist Party officials to mobilize the party apparatus against protesters. On 26 April, the party's official newspaper People's Daily issued a front-page editorial titled " It is necessary to take

6741-400: The fourth and current Constitution of China, known as the " 1982 Constitution ", was passed by the 5th National People's Congress . In the first half of 1986, Deng repeatedly called for the revival of political reforms, as further economic reforms were hindered by the original political system with an increasing trend of corruption and economic inequality . A five-man committee to study

6848-429: The global market. In the same year, CCTV exported 10,216 shows to 77 foreign television stations. Initially, the CCP's Central Publicity Department issued directive censorship of programs. During reform in the 1990s, it adopted new standards for CCTV, "affordability" and "acceptability", loosening the previous government control. Affordability refers to purchasing ability of programs, while acceptability requires that

6955-462: The government: On the morning of 18 April, students remained in the square. Some gathered around the Monument to the People's Heroes, singing patriotic songs and listening to student organizers' impromptu speeches. Others gathered at the Great Hall. Meanwhile, a few thousand students gathered at Xinhua Gate , the entrance to Zhongnanhai , the seat of the party leadership, where they demanded dialogue with

7062-562: The height of the protests, about one million people assembled in the square. As the protests developed, the authorities responded with both conciliatory and hardline tactics, exposing deep divisions within the party leadership. By May, a student-led hunger strike galvanized support around the country for the demonstrators, and the protests spread to some 400 cities. On 20 May, the State Council declared martial law , and as many as 300,000 troops were mobilized to Beijing. After several weeks of standoffs and violent confrontations between

7169-513: The idea of Boluan Fanzheng ("bringing order out of chaos") to correct the mistakes of the Cultural Revolution. At the Third Plenum of the 11th Central Committee , in December 1978, Deng emerged as China's de facto leader . He launched a comprehensive program to reform the Chinese economy ( Reforms and Opening-up ). Within several years, the country's focus on ideological purity was replaced by

7276-458: The initial impetus for students to gather in large numbers. On university campuses, many posters appeared eulogizing Hu, calling for honoring Hu's legacy. Within days, most posters were about broader political issues, such as corruption, democracy, and freedom of the press. Small, spontaneous gatherings to mourn Hu began on 15 April around the Monument to the People's Heroes at Tiananmen Square . On

7383-409: The most crucial factor in success. There was widespread public disillusionment concerning the country's future. People wanted change, yet the power to define "the correct path" continued to rest solely in the unelected government's hands. The comprehensive and wide-ranging reforms created political differences over the pace of marketization and the control over the ideology that came with it, opening

7490-404: The move was designed to stop the spread of parodies or other comments on politically sensitive issues in the runup to the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre . It issued a directive named " SAPPRFT's Opinions On Strengthening The Programme Management of Satellite Television Channels " in 2011, aiming at over-turning the over-emphasis on purely entertainment programmes in

7597-441: The need to take more serious action. Zhao dismissed Li's views. Despite calls for him to remain in Beijing, Zhao left for a scheduled state visit to North Korea on 23 April. Zhao's departure to North Korea left Li Peng as the acting executive authority in Beijing. On 24 April, Li Peng and the PSC met with Beijing Party Secretary Li Ximing and mayor Chen Xitong to gauge the situation at the square. The municipal officials wanted

7704-449: The network's English-language international channel, CGTN, as well as of the other non-Chinese language TV channels under the CGTN banner, are under constant pressure to present a positive account of China, according to Anne-Marie Brady 's study published in 2008. "In August 2005, a series of items reported factually on the coal mining disaster in China; soon after the channel's leaders received

7811-512: The network. The network's principal directors and other officers are appointed by the State, and so are the top officials at local conventional television stations in mainland China; nearly all of them are restricted to broadcasting within their own province or municipality. Editorial independence is subject to government policy considerations, and as a result, its history and news channels have been charged with being " propaganda aimed at brainwashing

7918-543: The number of reality television programs and of historical dramas expressing particular disapproval of programs with a plot twist that involved time travel back to a Chinese historical era. This decree resulted in cancellation of a number of planned films with historical drama plots. It issued a directive on 30 March 2009 to highlight 31 categories of content prohibited online, including violence , pornography , content which may "incite ethnic discrimination or undermine social stability". Some industry observers believe that

8025-564: The outer skin was burnt. The fire had implications for the credibility of CCTV, which was already unpopular because of its dominance in the media. The incident was mocked by netizens who reproduced photoshopped photos of the fire and criticized CCTV for censoring coverage. Pictures of the fire are widely distributed on the internet, as a result of citizen journalism . During the 2011 military intervention in Libya , reports from CCTV tended to support Muammar Gaddafi 's arguments, claiming that

8132-457: The overthrow of the Communist Party gained traction due to the 26 April editorial. The stunning success of the march forced the government into making concessions and meeting with student representatives. On 29 April, State Council spokesman Yuan Mu met with appointed representatives of government-sanctioned student associations. While the talks discussed a wide range of issues, including

8239-405: The party's socialist ideology. Both sides needed the backing of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping to carry out important policy decisions. In mid-1986, astrophysics professor Fang Lizhi returned from a position at Princeton University and began a personal tour of universities in China, speaking about liberty, human rights, and the separation of powers . Fang was part of a wide undercurrent within

8346-489: The people and political elite about the country's future. The reforms of the 1980s had led to a nascent market economy that benefited some people but seriously disadvantaged others, and the one-party political system also faced a challenge to its legitimacy. Common grievances at the time included inflation, corruption, limited preparedness of graduates for the new economy, and restrictions on political participation. Although they were highly disorganized and their goals varied,

8453-502: The police line. Three of these students, Zhou Yongjun , Guo Haifeng , and Zhang Zhiyong , knelt on the steps of the Great Hall to present a petition and demanded to see Premier Li Peng . Standing beside them, a fourth student ( Wu'erkaixi ) made a brief, emotional speech begging for Li Peng to come out and speak with them. The larger number of students still in the square but outside the cordon were at times emotional, shouting demands or slogans and rushing toward police. Wu'erkaixi calmed

8560-571: The police, and rumors about police brutality spread quickly. The incident angered students on campus, where those who were not politically active decided to join the protests. Additionally, a group of workers calling themselves the Beijing Workers' Autonomous Federation issued two handbills challenging the central leadership. Hu's state funeral took place on 22 April. On the evening of 21 April, some 100,000 students marched on Tiananmen Square, ignoring orders from Beijing municipal authorities that

8667-475: The practice of airing forced confessions. In 2020, the British media regulator Ofcom sided with Humphrey and announced sanctions against CGTN, which aired Humphrey's confession and was branded as CCTV News at the time. In 2014, CCTV broadcast the forced confession of the then-septuagenarian journalist Gao Yu . In 2016, Peter Dahlin and Gui Minhai 's forced confessions were aired on CCTV. In 2019 Dahlin filed

8774-413: The press be allowed to positively report the movement and delivered two sympathetic speeches on 3–4 May. In the speeches, Zhao said that the students' concerns about corruption were legitimate and that the student movement was patriotic in nature. The speeches essentially negated the message presented by 26 April Editorial. While some 100,000 students marched on the streets of Beijing on 4 May to commemorate

8881-456: The progressive camp and the conservative camp intensified. Those who supported continued dialogue and a soft approach with students rallied behind Zhao Ziyang, while hardliner conservatives opposed the movement rallied behind Premier Li Peng. Zhao and Li clashed at a PSC meeting on 1 May. Li maintained that the need for stability overrode all else, while Zhao said that the party should show support for increased democracy and transparency. Zhao pushed

8988-435: The reforms were generally well received by the public, concerns grew over a series of social problems which the changes brought about, including corruption and nepotism on the part of elite party bureaucrats. The state-mandated pricing system, in place since the 1950s, had long kept prices fixed at low levels. The initial reforms created a two-tier system where some prices were fixed while others were allowed to fluctuate. In

9095-421: The rule of law could cure the country's ills. Following the 1988 meeting at their summer retreat of Beidaihe , the party leadership under Deng agreed to implement a transition to a market-based pricing system. News of the relaxation of price controls triggered waves of cash withdrawals, buying, and hoarding all over China. The government panicked and rescinded the price reforms in less than two weeks, but there

9202-456: The rule of law. While the protests were initially contained in Hefei , where Fang lived, they quickly spread to Shanghai, Beijing, and other major cities. This alarmed the central leadership, who accused the students of instigating Cultural Revolution-style turmoil. General Secretary Hu Yaobang was blamed for showing a "soft" attitude and mishandling the protests, thus undermining social stability. He

9309-519: The same day, many students at Peking University (PKU) and Tsinghua University erected shrines and joined the gathering in Tiananmen Square in a piecemeal fashion. Small, organized student gatherings also took place in Xi'an and Shanghai on 16 April. On 17 April, students at the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) made a large wreath to commemorate Hu Yaobang. Its wreath-laying ceremony

9416-615: The satellite television channels in China. China Central Television China Central Television ( CCTV ) is the national television broadcaster of China, established in 1958. CCTV is operated by the National Radio and Television Administration which reports directly to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s Central Publicity Department . CCTV has a variety of functions, such as news communication, social education, culture, and entertainment information services. It

9523-479: The socialist ideology, ranging from democracy, humanism , universal values such as freedom and human rights, to Total Westernization ; as response, since the beginning of the reforms, Deng Xiaoping in 1979 proposed the " Four Cardinal Principles " to limit the political liberalization . On the other hand, despite the opening of new universities and increased enrollment, the state-directed education system did not produce enough graduates to meet increased demand in

9630-454: The square was to be closed for the funeral. The funeral, which took place inside the Great Hall and was attended by the leadership, was broadcast live to the students. General Secretary Zhao Ziyang delivered the eulogy. The funeral seemed rushed, lasting only 40 minutes, as emotions ran high in the square. Security cordoned off the east entrance to the Great Hall of the People, but several students pressed forward. A few were allowed to cross

9737-584: The station contribute to a generally low level of morale and initiative among station staff," she writes. A study done by the observer of Chinese film and television, Ying Zhu, suggests that "CCTV is full of serious-minded creators who regularly experience bouts of self-doubt, philosophical ambivalence, and in some cases, clinical depression ." During her extensive interviews with key CCTV players, Zhu notes that "Certain common themes, about ideals, distorted or altogether thwarted by commercial and political pressure, emerged." According to Freedom House , CCTV "has

9844-445: The streets of the capital to Tiananmen Square, breaking through lines set up by police, and receiving widespread public support along the way, particularly from factory workers. The student leaders, eager to show the patriotic nature of the movement, also toned down anti-Communist slogans, choosing to present a message of "anti-corruption" and "anti-cronyism", but "pro-party". In a twist of irony, student factions who genuinely called for

9951-404: The student body at large. In this context, a group of charismatic leaders, including Wang Dan and Wu'erkaixi, desired to regain momentum. They also distrusted the government's offers of dialogue, dismissing them as merely a ploy designed to play for time and pacify the students. To break from the moderate and incremental approach now adopted by other major student leaders, these few began calling for

10058-403: The students called for things like rollback of the removal of " iron rice bowl " jobs, greater accountability, constitutional due process, democracy , freedom of the press , and freedom of speech . Workers' protests were generally focused on inflation and the erosion of welfare. These groups united around anti-corruption demands, adjusting economic policies, and protecting social security. At

10165-484: The students to disperse. Starting on the night of 17 April, three thousand PKU students marched from the campus towards Tiananmen Square, and soon nearly a thousand students from Tsinghua joined. Upon arrival, they soon joined forces with those already gathered at the square. As its size grew, the gathering gradually evolved into a protest, as students began to draft a list of pleas and suggestions (the Seven Demands) for

10272-431: The students to get involved politically. Simultaneously, the party's nominally socialist ideology faced a legitimacy crisis as it gradually adopted capitalist practices. Private enterprise gave rise to profiteers who took advantage of lax regulations and who often flaunted their wealth in front of those who were less well off. Popular discontent was brewing over unfair wealth distribution. Greed, not skill, appeared to be

10379-684: The terms "Tiananmen Square Massacre", "Tiananmen Square Protests", and "Tiananmen Square Crackdown" are often used to describe the series of events. However, much of the violence in Beijing did not actually happen in Tiananmen, but outside the square along a stretch of Chang'an Avenue only a few miles long, and especially near the Muxidi area. The term also gives a misleading impression that demonstrations only happened in Beijing, when in fact, they occurred in many cities throughout China. The Cultural Revolution ended with chairman Mao Zedong 's death in 1976 and

10486-522: The weekly audience share, while in Shanghai, local stations also have share over CCTV. However, the CCTV New Year's Gala remains extremely popular; it acquires more than 90% audience share over the nation. Producing a variety of different programming, China Central Television has a number of different program hosts, news anchors , correspondents, and contributors who appear throughout daily programing on

10593-432: Was a popular CCTV show which regularly exposes the wrongdoings of local officials, which attracts serious attention from higher levels of government. It also exposed the Chinese government's response to charges of corruption. In 1998, Premier Zhu Rongji praised the program as an important tool of media supervision ( yulun jiandu ). The CCTV New Year's Gala ( Chinese : 中国中央电视台春节联欢晚会 )—a yearly special program for

10700-489: Was a pronounced impact for much longer. Inflation soared; official indices reported that the Consumer Price Index increased by 30% in Beijing between 1987 and 1988, leading to panic among salaried workers that they could no longer afford staple goods. Moreover, in the new market economy, unprofitable state-owned enterprises were pressured to cut costs. This threatened a vast proportion of the population that relied on

10807-483: Was aired on a CCTV program. A day later, the same program aired the forced confession of an academic from Taiwan accused of espionage and separatist activities. On 9 February 2009, the Beijing Television Cultural Center caught fire on the last day of the festivities of Chinese New Year , killing one firefighter. The blaze rendered the 42-story structure unusable, as the zinc and titanium alloy of

10914-426: Was an internet-based broadcaster of China Central Television which launched on 28 December 2009. China Central Television, as a component of the China Media Group (CMG), falls under the supervision of the National Radio and Television Administration which is in turn subordinate to the CCP's Central Publicity Department. The organization is considered one of the "big three" state media outlets in China, along with

11021-411: Was brought out in 1996. CCTV-4 had three half-hour English news broadcasting every day, but later, on 25 September 2000, CCTV-9 a satellite channel was set up to be the first 24-hour English channel, aimed to establish the overseas market. In October 2001, CCTV partnered with AOL Time Warner and other foreign news corporations, giving them access to the Chinese media market in exchange for cable delivery in

11128-454: Was denounced thoroughly by conservatives and was forced to resign as general secretary on 16 January 1987. The party began the "Anti- bourgeois liberalization campaign", aiming at Hu, political liberalization, and Western-inspired ideas in general. The campaign stopped student protests and restricted political activity, but Hu remained popular among intellectuals, students, and Communist Party progressives. On 18 August 1980, Deng Xiaoping gave

11235-512: Was formed. It elected CUPL student Zhou Yongjun as chair. Wang Dan and Wu'erkaixi also emerged as leaders. The Union then called for a general classroom boycott at all Beijing universities. Such an independent organization operating outside of party jurisdiction alarmed the leadership. On 22 April, near dusk, serious rioting broke out in Changsha and Xi'an . In Xi'an, arson by rioters destroyed cars and houses, and looting occurred in shops near

11342-470: Was on 17 April, and a larger-than-expected crowd assembled. At 5 pm, 500 CUPL students reached the eastern gate of the Great Hall of the People , near Tiananmen Square, to mourn Hu. The gathering featured speakers from various backgrounds who gave public orations commemorating Hu and discussed social problems. However, it was soon deemed obstructive to the Great Hall's operation, so police tried to persuade

11449-510: Was scheduled to be held on the square, student leaders wanted to use the hunger strike to force the government into meeting their demands. Moreover, the hunger strike gained widespread sympathy from the population at large and earned the student movement the moral high ground that it sought. By the afternoon of 13 May, some 300,000 were gathered at the square. Inspired by the events in Beijing, protests and strikes began at universities in other cities, with many students traveling to Beijing to join

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