The Central News Media's Long Stay in Tibet

　　 Xinhua News Agency Tibet Branch: As a branch of the state-owned Xinhua News Agency, it shoulders the task of reporting to the outside world what is happening in Tibet. Over the years, the Xinhua News Agency has attached great importance to the reports coming from Tibet, be it for domestic or overseas audiences, or in relation to articles or news pictures. And the reports have formed an important part of the overall news report from the Xinhua News Agency. The branch is now a full-fledged organ with an administrative office. editorial department, economic department, political and cultural department, overseas department and a photographing and videotaping department. Some l4journalists and 5 cameramen are working here, sending back to its headquarters about 1,200 articles and pictures per year. The reports, broadcast in Chinese, English, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, provide the world with up-to-the-minute information about Tibet. The branch is now the most efficient medium which covers the largest area of Tibet. During the peaceful liberation of Tibet, the branch covered the stories of the PLA removing obstacles and hardships to enter Tibet, driving out foreign invading forces and liberating Tibet and other places in China. It also covered the story of the Tibetans welcoming the PLA into Tibet and their support for the PLA and local governmental workers in their implementation of the Seventeen-article Agreement of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, and of the Central Government's policies about ethnic groups. religion and a united front. It was active in covering every aspect of Tibet as it underwent overwhelming changes, from the story of the PLA and workers of different ethnic background building the world-famous Sichuan-Tibet and Qinghai-Tibet highways to the Central Government's support for Tibetan education and ethnic cadre training. Other reports included the setting up of hospitals, the allocation of funds to agriculture and historical events like the founding of the Preparatory Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region. From 1959 to 1966, Tibet had been undergoing a historical turning point- overthrowing the feudal serf system and founding a socialist, new Tibet. The Xinhua News Agency Tibet Branch exposed to the world the darkness and cruelty of the serf system , voiced the strong call of millions of serfs to overthrow the system and their urgent demand for reform, and depicted the new life serfs had after the Democratic Reform. During the period, news like Chinese mountaineers first ascending Mount Everest, the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region, along with other events of significance was spread far and wide due to the hard work and efficiency of the branch staff. The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee created a new chapter in the history of Tibet, where full-scale reconstruction was starting to take place. The Xinhua News Agency Tibet Branch reported on what Tibet had achieved due to the preferential policies approved by the Central Government. A wide range of subjects were covered, such as opening to the outside world, adopting a more flexible market policy, economic and political reforms, the implementation of the Law on National Regional Autonomy, ethnic people, religion, economic development and social stability. All their reports were accurate reflections of the real Tibet that was developing healthily with support from across the country. When the branch was first established, only a few locals were employed and most journalists came from the headquarters of the Xinhua News Agency and its inland branches. Since the l9~()s, the Xinhua News Agency stopped dispatching permanent-stay journalists to Tibet and each of its branches sent reporters on a temporary basis instead. This not only strengthened the human resources of the branch but also helped to create a balanced environment for newcomers. Starting from the late l980s, the Tibet Branch sped up its steps in its training of journalists of an ethnic background. Since 1987, college graduates working in the branch have received advanced training and a team of journalists comprising mainly of Tibetans has matured. Some of them have been promoted, becoming the backbone of their various fields. In recent years, the Tibet Branch has made efforts to improve its reporting standards. Its coverage of the 40th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the renovation of Potala Palace, the consecration of the holy stupa for the Panchen Fxdeni. the search and recognition of the reincarnated soul boy, and other great events, has been well-organized perceptive, informative and well received by international and domestic audiences. Its reports reflect the opening and reform in Tibet. the new problems arising in its economic development. the new measures adopted as well as recent achievements and changes. Objective, real and true, those reports have promoted the exchange of information between Tibet and the outside world and have propelled social and economic development in Tibet. After decades of unremitting effort, the Tibet Branch has greatly improved its own working conditions and communication facilities. Since 1995, journalists have been writing, editing and transmitting manuscripts and pictures through a computer network and satellite long-distance transmission, using the most advanced and efficient media facilities in Tibet.
The Tibet Correspondent Station of the Central People's Broadcasting Station (CPBS) and the China Radio International (CR1): The Tibet Correspondent Station was jointly set up by the Central People's Broadcasting Station and China Radio International in May 1982, undertaking the task of reporting on Tibet to the outside world. Today, the station has a total of three Tibetan journalists. one office building and a few cars. Each journalist is equipped with an advanced computer (which is on line within the network of the Central People's Broadcasting Station) and a cassette recorder. The Tibet Correspondent Station is at present the only one that is comprised of pure ethnic journalists among the 36 correspondent stations of CPBS and CR1. All of them can write in both Han Chinese and Tibetan. Every year, they send to the CPES and CR1 about 350 news reports. Since its establishment, correspondents have overcome many difficulties to conduct interviews and write articles. They now cover just about all of Tibet. They have never missed any significant news and have managed to air their news (on the same day) on the CPBS's and CRI's primc time news, in 43 different languages. Their successful work has introduced to audiences a true, real, and prosperous Tibet under healthy development, a window through which audiences can better understand Tibet. According to certain statistics, to date the CPBS and CR1 have used more than 5.000 news reports produced by the station and some 1200 reports have won prizes in national and local news reports contests. The station itself has been chosen as a model collective forty times at national and local levels, and its staff have been awarded the titles of model worker and state expert over forty times. Some presses have also set up correspondent stations in Tibet, including the People's Daily, Economy Daily, Guangming Daily, Workers' Daily, China Hydraulic Daily, China Disciplinary Supervision Daily, Financial News and China Culture Dailv. They also play an important role in introducing Tibet to the outside world.