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Archives: Dispatches

All Lingua Sinica Dispatches

Vietnam Television

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Vietnam Television, operating as VTV, is Vietnam’s national state broadcaster established in 1970 with Cuban assistance. Officially tasked with “propagating the views of the Party, policies, laws of the government,” VTV runs multiple channels including news, education, entertainment, and ethnic programming. The network has faced significant controversies, including criticism from Vietnamese emigrants for its pro-communist stance, copyright infringement resulting in its YouTube channel termination in 2016, and government fines for broadcasting false information. VTV maintains 17 international bureaus and produces programming through its film production company, Vietnam Television Film Centre.

The Dawn

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The Dawn, an English-language daily newspaper founded in 2016 and based in Juba, South Sudan’s capital, is described as “largely perceived as a pro-government newspaper” by media analysts. The publication, led by editor-in-chief Emmanuel Monychol Akop (艾曼努爾·蒙尼喬·阿科普), regularly features content from Chinese state media sources, particularly Xinhua News Agency (新華社). Recent examples include Xinhua’s December 15, 2024 commentary titled “China’s pro-growth policies deliver comfort in turbulent world,” which reported China’s transition to “moderately loose” monetary policy. Another featured piece, “CEWC a blueprint for China’s sustainable and inclusive growth in 2025,” described the Central Economic Work Conference as setting “the economic tone for 2025 amidst global uncertainties.” Sports columnist Akuot Goor contributes regularly to the newspaper. In December 2024, the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Emmanuel Monychol Akop was detained by suspected National Security Service officers, raising concerns about press freedom in the country.

Literarni noviny

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Literární noviny is a Czech monthly magazine for culture and politics with a rich history dating back to 1927. Originally published by various companies, it became most notably associated with the European Literary Club (ELK) until 1941. After World War II, the publication was revived and later became part of the state-controlled publishing house Československý spisovatel. The magazine experienced its golden period in the mid-1960s, serving as a crucial platform for intellectual discourse across Czech society. It featured prominent domestic authors like Ivan Klíma, Ludvík Vaculík, and Václav Havel, alongside translations of international writers such as Sartre and Aragon.

Content Cooperation Between Literarni Noviny and Guangming Daily

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A Guangming Daily (光明日報) delegation visited the Czech Central European News Agency in July 2019, where the collaboration with Czech publication Literární noviny was characterized as “part of the country’s large-scale foreign propaganda work” (國家大外宣工作). The partnership included a Czech-language supplement called “Dossier” featuring content about traditional Chinese medicine, Shanghai, and Zhejiang province that published three issues with many articles written by Czech journalists and writers. The delegation, including Zhang Yeqing (張業清), Tan Limin (譚莉敏), Song Leyong (宋樂永) and Liu Jiaming (劉家銘), also met with representatives of the official China News Service Prague bureau. The lunch meeting at the Huanghe Restaurant included restaurant owner Xia Kangping (夏康平), Grant European Chamber of Commerce President Jia Jianping (賈建平), and Guangming Daily‘s current Prague correspondent Zhong Weikai (仲偉凱).

Portuguese Press Association

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The Portuguese Press Association was founded in 1960 as the National Guild of Regional Press (Grémio Nacional de Imprensa Regional), then transformed in 1975 into the Association of Non-Daily Press (Associação de Imprensa Não-Diária) before adopting its current name in September 2004. As Portugal’s largest and most representative press employers’ association, it currently represents over 200 member companies covering approximately 450 titles across national, regional, local, technical-professional, and specialized publications. The organization operates within Portugal’s media landscape.

Shaanxi Satellite TV

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Shaanxi Satellite TV, commonly known as SXTV, is a provincial-level satellite television network based in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. Established in 1997 when the former Shaanxi Television’s fourth channel went satellite, it serves as the flagship channel of Shaanxi Radio and Television Group. The network is recognizable by its distinctive orange logo featuring an “S” shape that resembles lightning, earning it the nickname “Lightning TV” among viewers. In 2012, SXTV underwent a major rebranding with a new focus on cultural programming, adopting the slogan “China Fusion, Fusion World” (中国融，融世界). The channel broadcasts in both standard and high-definition formats since 2014, with the transition to full digital broadcasting completed on March 31, 2021, when analog transmission officially ended. Programming includes a mix of news, entertainment, cultural shows, and locally produced content highlighting Shaanxi’s rich historical heritage. In December 2024, the network partnered with the Propaganda Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CCP to establish an international communication center, hoping to expand its global reach.

Propaganda Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CCP

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The Propaganda Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CCP is the functional department of the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee responsible for ideological work throughout the province. The department formulates and implements propaganda tasks, policies, and measures in accordance with central government directives and provincial party committee decisions. Led by a director who holds an ex officio seat on the Provincial Party Standing Committee, the office coordinates and guides all propaganda and cultural units in the province, overseeing media regulation, cultural activities, educational content, and internet information management. It ensures consistent messaging across all communication platforms, maintains narrative control, promotes the CCP’s ideological principles, and translates central directives into local implementation. As a key component in the party’s broader propaganda system, the department wields significant political influence in shaping public opinion and reinforcing party authority throughout Shaanxi.

Internet Affairs Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CCP

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The Internet Affairs Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CCP serves as the provincial-level branch of China’s national cyberspace governance system. It functions as the executive arm of the Shaanxi Provincial Cyberspace Affairs Commission, operating under the “one institution with two names” system that characterizes China’s cyberspace administration bodies. The office is responsible for implementing internet censorship, cybersecurity measures, and information control policies within Shaanxi Province. Similar to its national counterpart, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), it coordinates internet information content management, supervision, and enforcement at the provincial level. The office director holds an ex officio seat on the Shaanxi Provincial Party Standing Committee, reflecting the importance of internet control in the Party’s governance structure. It reports to both the provincial party leadership and the central cyberspace authorities, ensuring that national directives on digital policy are implemented locally while addressing province-specific internet governance issues.

Gazprom-Media Holding

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Gazprom-Media Holding is one of Russia’s largest media conglomerates, controlling nearly 20 television and radio channels plus digital platforms. Key assets include flagship channel NTV, sports network Match TV, entertainment channel TNT, and digital platforms like Rutube and PREMIER. The company also operates extensive radio networks, including Energy and Autoradio. Classified as “Captured Public/State-Managed,” Gazprom Media maintains complex state control through Gazprombank ownership, ultimately tracing to entities close to President Putin. The company’s flagship channel, NTV, particularly faces backlash as an aggressive disinformation channel, systematically targeting EU diplomats and civil society.