Newspaper Leads Way for Press ReformThe market-oriented reform of government ministry-run newspapers was highlighted Sunday at a symposium marking the inauguration of the China Industrial Economy News, which was formally affiliated to the former State Administration for State Assets.Officials, scholars, journalists and entrepreneurs at the forum reached a consensus that newspapers focusing on certain industries supervised by corresponding ministries will have to sever their ties with the government, take a market-oriented path and serve their targeted readership with information they need. The central government has decided that all its subordinate departments will not be able to set up new newspapers in the future and that all the papers they currently control must undergo market-oriented restructuring and become independent businesses. The China Industrial Economy News, to be officially launched today, evolved from China Property News, an official paper of the State Assets Administration. Since it was founded four years ago, the paper has explored a new mechanism of independent management. Unlike most other similar papers run by government departments, China Property News has never received any subsidies from the State Assets Administration, according to Pan Yue, founder of the paper and former deputy director of the administration. Over the past few years, the government has been trying to facilitate mergers and acquisitions among newspapers and has been pushing them to face market competition. (Chinadaily) |
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