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Comparison Between Cross-strait Regulations on Reporters' News Covering
For many years, the mainland of the motherland has made consistent efforts to promote journalist exchange between the two sides of the Straits.
To provide conveniences for Taiwan reporters to carry out news gathering on the mainland, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council published the "Regulations on Taiwan Reporters to Cover News on the Mainland of the Motherland" (hereinafter referred to as "Regulations") in 1996, so that media of Taiwan can send their reporters to Beijing and some other localities to engage in the rotating and regular news covering activity.
However, this is a unilateral practice, it is very difficult for correspondents from the mainland to apply for going to Taiwan for news gathering.
As the voice for strengthening cross-Strait journalist exchange becomes ever louder, the Taiwan authorities recently put forward the "Points for Attention Regarding Journalists from the Mainland Region to Enter the Region of Taiwan for News Covering" (hereinafter referred to as "Points for Attention").
If one makes a comparison between our "Regulations" and Taiwan's "Points for Attention", one will find that the question, regarding who provides conveniences and who imposes strict restrictions, will become self-evident.
I. In setting the time limit and procedures for filing news-covering application, we stipulate that Taiwan reporters can directly file applications to our departments concerned 10 days in advance, upon approval, they can come to the mainland and conduct news gathering by virtue of the "News-Covering Certificate" issued by the Chinese Journalists' Association, a non-governmental organization, there is no restriction on other aspects.
Whereas Taiwan stipulates that for correspondents from the mainland of the motherland to go to Taiwan for news covering, they shall first have Taiwan media or relevant organization as the host unit, then the host unit shall act on their behalf to file an application to and have the approval of the news-covering "executive unit" of the "immigration control bureau" under the news-covering "competent organization" of the Taiwan "ministry of interior" one month in advance.
After their arrival in Taiwan, the correspondents shall, within three days, acquire an official "press card" from the news-covering "destination business competent organization" of the Taiwan "information office" and, within 15 days, go through the registration procedures at the police substation near their location, and they shall "maintain close contact with the host unit".
In case change is to be made in their news-covering plan and journey, the host unit or mainland journalists themselves shall first report this to the "information office" for approval, and send it to the "immigration control bureau" for future reference, these formalities are quite complicated and trivial.
II.With regard to the stipulations on the applicant's qualification, we stipulate that Taiwan reporters applying for news gathering on the mainland refer to reporters with such media institutions as newspaper press, magazine press, news agency, radio stations, TV stations in Taiwan, which normally publish and release news items, editors (including photographers and video recorders). At present, seven Taiwan media have sent their reporters to Beijing and other places for regular news-covering activities.
Whereas Taiwan's "points for attention", although it states that journalists from the mainland region refer to the professionals who are sent by newspaper press, news agency, magazine press and radio and television institutions legally established in the mainland region, and who report mainly on current events and publicly concerned affairs, it in the meantime states that currently it is prepared to deal with only "a small number of media", that is the four media-Xinhua News Agency, the People's Daily, the CCTV Station, and the Central People's Broadcasting Station-furthermore, the number of journalists to be sent is limited to two by each of the four press institutions in the same period.
III. With regard to the news-covering application documents to be submitted, our departments concerned only require that the applicant provide the certificate, the profile of the reporter and his or her news-covering plan issued by the press institution where the reporter is in.
Whereas the Taiwan authorities, in addition to these, also require that the host unit provide the certificate placed on file, the applicant provide the document of the media where he or she is in. At the same time, a number of details are set down in a certain item, such as the general situation of the media, brief work records and the expression of news-covering intention of the person sent to the Taiwan region.
IV. With regard to the reporter's news-gathering scope, we do not set down particular scope for Taiwan reporters, the 13 provinces and cities including Shanghai and Tianjin can directly handle Taiwan reporters' news-covering applications, at the same time, we also provide conditions for Taiwan reporters to conduct cross-province and cross-city news covering.
Whereas the Taiwan authorities limit the mainland correspondents' "stationary points" and their news-covering scope within the so-called 'vast Taipei district".
V. In the reporters' news-covering activities, our departments concerned try their best to provide conveniences for Taiwan reporters in their news covering. Taiwan reporters can attend the news briefing held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office, the Information Office of the State Council or the Taiwan Affairs under the State Council;
Whereas Taiwan requires that journalists from the mainland, while engaging in news-covering activities, shall limit their object of interview to the news spokespersons of relevant units. They shall file separate applications for attending press conference held outside the "vast Taipei district" as well as those held by relevant work units. It also stipulates that correspondents from the mainland shall not accept interview by other media and shall not attend radio station's Call In program.
VI. On legal issues, we explicitly stipulates that Taiwan reporters approved to carry out normal news-covering activities are protected by State laws; whereas Taiwan only stipulates that correspondents visiting Taiwan shall abide by local laws, without the content about their protection by law.
It is clear from the above specific comparison that cross-Strait journalist exchange is currently in an unbalanced state. The too many restrictions imposed on the mainland correspondents engaging in news-gathering activities in Taiwan are disadvantageous to cross-Strait exchange and mutual understanding.
It is hoped that the Taiwan authorities would go with the tide of historical development by providing mainland correspondents engaging in regular news-covering activities in Taiwan with relatively relaxed conditions.
(This article, written by Lu Wen, is published on Page 3 of People's Daily [Overseas Edition], January 18.)
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