New regulation targets news copyright

BEIJING - China's National Copyright Administration on Wednesday issued a circular on news copyright.

Newsmakers--journalists, TV News, bloggers, newspapers, publishers, etc.--will now be entitled to payment if web portals or paper media pick up their news stories. The permission of the creators of any news item must be obtained prior to publication.

The convergence of old and new media in China has led to many traditional news professionals complaining that their work is being ripped off. Many WeChat accounts, for example, directly copy from traditional media or other online websites without notifying writers or producers.

The circular specifically stipulates that online media must not distort the original idea of a news piece when picking it up from another source.It also urged web portals and newspapers to discipline themselves and actively defend their own copyright.

The administration will launch a campaign in June to check on these new rules.