You may have noticed that Imagethief spends a fair amount of time making fun of Chinese government news coverage. That is not necessarily what I set out to do when starting this blog, but, as The Master said, when fate hangs ripe cherries in your path, it is hard not to pick them*. In the too-good-to-be-true category is today's Xinhua story lauding the forward-thinking self-censorship of Chinese websites, which are ensuring that no objectionable content passes through the ever-widening eyeballs of China's impressionable, young Internet trolls. Of course, by objectionable content they mean sex and violence (which go together like salt'n'pepa, as you know). Self censorship for political content is, inexplicably, not mentioned in the article, although we're sure that all websites that wish to remain licensed are diligent in its application.

The words:
Central news websites back Internet self-censorship

www.chinaview.cn 2006-04-11 20:49:35

BEIJING, April 11 (Xinhua) -- China's central news websites on Tuesday backed the proposal of major Beijing-based portals for self-censorship and the eradication of pornographic and violent Internet content.

In a joint announcement, 11 news websites vehemently supported the initiative, saying it represents the aspiration of China's Internet users.

"Chinese websites are capable and confident of resisting indecent Internet content," the announcement said.

The central websites are China's major channels of Internet news releases and the main sources of news on other websites. "We all agree and actively respond to the joint proposal," the announcement said.

The websites also vowed to play a leading role in self-censoring Internet content in compliance with the "Eight Honors and Disgraces", a new concept of socialist morality set forth by Hu Jintao, president and general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, recently.

"We will make the Internet a vital publisher of scientific theories, spread the advanced cultures and promote decency, so as to boost economic growth, maintain social stability, and promote the building of a socialist harmonious society," they pledged.
It fair takes the breath away. That is some world-class suckup in those two last paragraphs. In two short sentences, the "statement" issued by the websites managed to include a sop to the eight socialist honors and disgraces with an attribution to Hu Jintao, invoke "scientific theories" that bring to mind the scientific theory of development, and mention the socialist harmonious society. That's two-and-half sops to sloganeering in two sentences, or an impressive 1.25/1 slogan ratio. I discount the scientific theory of development as it is suggested rather than made explicit. Nevertheless, Mao would be proud. I am sure that the government played no role in penning it.

More words:
The websites include Xinhuanet.com, People.com.cn, China.com.cn, Chinadaily.com.cn, and Chinanews.com.

Fourteen Beijing-based portals on Sunday said in a joint proposal that they were blocking "unhealthy" content and inspired all portals to join them.

They included Sina.com, Sohu.com, Baidu.com, and Yahoo's Chinese website.

"We are in a stern opposition to indecent on-line messages that undermine public morality and the culture and fine traditions of the Chinese people," the proposal acknowledged.

"No indecent texts and photos, no search engines for such content, no links to indecent websites, and no games involving sex and violence," it promised.

The proposal also urged Internet portals to ban illegal, obscene, and "poor taste" photos, texts or audio messages on on-line forums, chat-rooms and blogs.
Because if government websites can't follow government content rules, surely there is disorder in heaven and earth.

At the bottom of the page with this article, should you tire of the propaganda, a link to Maria Sharapova in a Bikini. Now that's content.

Related: Danwei deconstructs a Reuters article on the loosening of TV content rules. Also, from Asiapundit, the new "fair and balanced" CCTV.

*OK, I made that up, but it seems like something The Master would have said.