Beijing concerned how Mao Zedong, Long March anniversaries get handled
The mainland's media watchdog has warned its branches to keep a close eye on the sale and broadcast of sensitive content with several key political anniversaries rolling around this year.
The General Administration of Press and Publication, which oversees mainland newspapers, periodicals, television, radio and other electronic media, said it would closely monitor content on the anniversaries of events such as the Cultural Revolution, the Tangshan earthquake, the Communist Party's founding, and the deaths of Mao Zedong and other senior leaders.
The warning, the latest among moves by the central government to tighten media and ideological controls, was carried in a circular issued late last month and appeared on the administration's website this week.
'Audio and video product publication always has an important position in the party's ideological education and close control of audio and video production relates to the country's political and social control and safety,' it said.
The directive specifically referred to a run of 'anniversaries of a number of important events' this year, including the '85th anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party, the 70th anniversary of the Long March Victory by the Red Army, the 30th anniversary of the death of Mao Zedong, Zhu De , Zhou Enlai and other party leaders, the 40th anniversary of the commencement of the Great Cultural Revolution and 30th anniversary of its ending, as well as the 30th anniversary of the Tangshan earthquake'.
Analysts said the directive reflected fears content to mark those anniversaries could be used to criticise the present leadership and its policies amid growing social discontent over widespread corruption and social inequalities.
