Macau (MNA) – Chinese-language union Journalist Association of Macau (JA Macau) has released a statement that the updates made to Law No. 5/1999, which includes conditions that mainstream media has to co-operate with the Macau SAR Government to ensure respect for the Chinese national anthem could threaten editorial autonomy.
The law applies to mainland Chinese anthem, The March of the Volunteers.
Although penalties had been dropped under the revision of the law, the association believes that the implementation of Section 7-C of the Act, which covers the area of media co-operation, needs to be dropped from the law.
In the section, it states that it is the duty of the media to spread propaganda, which the association finds contentious.
‘Media is not the propaganda machine of the regime, and it has no obligation to cooperate with the so-called ‘requirements’ of the government. Also, the use of the word ‘requirement’ has strong connotations even though penalties for disrespecting the anthem have been dropped,’ the statement from JA Macau reads.
JA Macau argues that the use of the word ‘requirement’ in the law means more restrictions would be placed in future versions of the National Anthem Law.
The association also points out that the adding of Section 7-C was done without consulting media organisations.
While JA Macau does not contest the arrangement for media organisations to co-operate with the Macau government to broadcast the national anthem, the association writes that the broadcast should not be run around the same time as news broadcasts, to ensure that viewers separate the two.
