Monday, June 30, 2014

Translation: Measures on the Administration of Information Acquired by News Professionals in the Course of Business

GAPPRFT No. 75[2014]

Notice Regarding Promulgation of the "Measures on the Administration of Information Acquired by News Professionals in the Course of Business"

The press and publication offices of each province (district, municipal), the press and publication office of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Brigade, and  the periodical publications administration offices of each agency, democratic party, and civic organization of the Communist Party and the central government, and major media outlets of the Communist Party:

In recent years, we have occasionally observed instances of news professionals misusing information they acquired in the course of business. Some have violated state secrets laws and regulations and willfully disseminated and transmitted information that implicated secrets. Some have published information they acquired through their professional activities on the Internet without authorization. Some have published reports through other domestic and and overseas media outlets that their own media outlets would not publish. Others have used their media outlets' resources to obtain improper benefits. This has interfered with the normal order of news publishing, and harm the interests of the Party and the government. In order to thoroughly strengthen the administration of information news professionals acquire in the course of business, in accordance with the Law on the Protection of State Secrets and other relevant laws and regulations, this office has formulated the "Measures on the Administration of Information Acquired by News Professionals in the Course of Business" which are hereby promulgated and which you are requested to carry out and implement.

State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television
June 30, 2014

Article 1. In order to strengthen the administration of information news professionals acquire in the course of business and regulate news broadcasting order, these Measures are hereby formulated in accordance with the "Law on the Protection of State Secrets," "Labor Contract Law," "Copyright Law," and other relevant laws and regulations.

Article 2. As used in these Measures, "the administration of information news professionals acquire in the course of business" shall refer to all types of information, source material, and news products obtained by any journalist, editor, announcer, host or other news gathering and compiling employees as well as all other news professionals engaged in the provision of technical and other support activities through interviews, participation in meetings, or documents overheard,  transmitted, or read in the course of business activities, including state secrets, commercial secrets, and information that has not been publicly disclosed.

Article 3. News outlets shall adhere to the principles of obeying the law, pursuing that which is beneficial and avoiding that which is harmful, managing and utilizing well, and administrating and overseeing to the extent possible. They shall strengthen their administration of information acquired in the course of business, and ensure that information acquired in the course of business shall be utilized in a scientific, rational, regulated, and orderly manner.

Article 4. News outlets shall establish comprehensive systems for safeguarding  classified information, and shall clearly designate the scope of individuals and secrecy period for news professionals who may come into contact with state secret information in the course of their professional activities. They shall establish  systems for the receiving, transmitting, utilizing, copying, storing and destroying state secret materials.

News professionals shall, upon assuming their position, undergo education and training in confidentiality and sign a document whereby they commit to safeguard classified information.

Article 5. News outlets shall, in accordance with relevant provisions of the "Labor Contract Law," enter into confidentiality agreements for information acquired through professional activities with all news professionals with regards to commercial secrets, information that has not yet been made public, business-related works and all other confidential matters relating to intellectual property, and shall establish unified management systems for information acquired through business  activities.

Confidentiality agreements must specify duties and consequences of breach with respect to rights and utilization of information acquired by news professionals  through business activities, including post-resignation and post-retirement.

News professionals may not, in violation the provisions of their confidentiality agreements, provide information obtained in the course of their business activities to overseas media outlets, or take on a position with an overseas media outlet such  as a "stringer," "correspondent," "contributor," or columnist.

Article 6. New professionals may not use information obtained in the course of business to obtain inappropriate benefits.

Article 7. Any news professional who establishes a blog, micro-blog, weixin, etc. in their professional capacity must first register with and obtain the approval of their employer, which shall have the responsibility to maintain day-to-day oversight.

News professionals may not, in violation of their confidentiality agreement, disclose or disseminate information obtained in the course of business either through any channels such as public or private blogs, micro-blogs, or wexin, or in any venues such as forums or lectures.

Article 8. Upon resignation or retirement all news professionals shall surrender all materials and documents that implicate secrets, and shall fulfill their duty to safeguard secrets during the relevant time frame in accordance with laws, regulations, and their confidentiality agreement.

Article 9. State Secret Security Commitment Letters and Business Information Confidentiality Agreements shall be required documentation for the hiring and employment all news professionals, and no one may be hired or employed without executing them.

Article 10. When applying for or revising their journalist credentials, journalists and editors must, in accordance with the provisions of the "Measures on the Administration of Journalist Credentials," submit relevant declaratory materials, which materials shall include their State Secret Security Commitment Letter and Business Information Confidentiality Agreement, without which no journalist credentials shall be approved and issued.

Article 11. News outlets shall, when conducting annual reviews of journalist credentials, submit a report to the press, publication, radio, film and television agency on the implementation status of their news professionals' execution of  State Secret Security Commitment Letters and Business Information Confidentiality Agreements.

Article 12. If a news professional violates the provisions of their State Secret Security Commitment Letter or Business Information Confidentiality Agreement and utilizes information obtained in the course of business without authorization, their news outlet shall pursue legal recourse for breach of contract, as well as administrative sanctions and disciplinary measures, as well as civil liability.

Article 13. The government agencies that oversee and sponsor news outlets shall supervise the establishment of comprehensive secrecy commitment and confidentiality agreement systems and the fulfillment of administrative duties for the news outlets under their jurisdiction. Press, publication, radio, film and television administration agencies shall strengthen the day-to-day oversight and supervision of the administration of information acquired in the course of business by the news outlets in their respective administrative districts.

Article 14. If a news professional publishes information obtained in the course of business without authorization resulting in severe consequences, the press, publication, radio, film and television administration agency shall revoke their journalist credentials in accordance with the law, make a record of their unprofessional actions, and impose on them a professional ban or restriction.

Article 15. Press, publication, radio, film and television administration agencies shall impose sanctions upon any news outlet that fails to correctly manage information acquired by news professionals in the course of business, and where severe problems arise such as leaking and disclosure of secrets, blackmail and extortion, or infringements on rights, the press, publication, radio, film and television administration agency shall investigate and order rectification in accordance with the law. Those who refuse or fail to rectify shall not be allowed to pass annual inspection. Where circumstances are severe the agency shall revoke the outlets  license and pursue those individuals at the news outlet who bear direct responsibility.

Article 16. News professionals who violate regulations and utilize information obtained in the course of business and leak or disclose secrets shall be subject to professional sanctions, and those who are suspected of commiting crimes shall be handed over to law enforcement agencies for punishment.

Article 17. These Measures shall become effective on the date of promulgation.

http://press.gapp.gov.cn/reporter/contents/245/211789.html

新广出发〔2014〕75号
关于印发《新闻从业人员职务行为信息管理办法》的通知

各省(区、市)新闻出版广电局,新疆生产建设兵团新闻出版局,中央和国家机关各部委、各民主党派、各人民团体报刊主管部门,中央主要新闻单位:
   
近年来,新闻从业人员滥用职务行为信息的现象时有出现。有的违反保密法规随意散布、传播涉密信息,有的擅自将职务活动中知悉的信息通过网络平台发布,有的将本新闻单位未播发的报道交由其他境内外媒体刊播,有的利用新闻单位资源谋取不正当利益,干扰了正常的新闻传播秩序,损害了党和国家利益。为切实加强新闻从业人员职务行为信息的管理,根据《保守国家秘密法》等有关法律法规,总局制定了《新闻从业人员职务行为信息管理办法》,现予以印发,请认真贯彻执行。

国家新闻出版广电总局
2014年6月30日

新闻从业人员职务行为信息管理办法


第一条 为加强新闻从业人员职务行为信息的管理,规范新闻传播秩序,根据《保守国家秘密法》、《劳动合同法》、《著作权法》等有关法律法规,制定本办法。

第二条 本办法所称新闻从业人员职务行为信息,是指新闻单位的记者、编辑、播音员、主持人等新闻采编人员及提供技术支持等辅助活动的其他新闻从业人员,在从事采访、参加会议、听取传达、阅读文件等职务活动中,获取的各类信息、素材以及所采制的新闻作品,其中包含国家秘密、商业秘密、未公开披露的信息等。

第三条 新闻单位要坚持依法依规、趋利避害、善管善用、可管可控的原则,加强职务行为信息管理,确保新闻从业人员职务行为信息使用科学合理、规范有序。

第四条 新闻单位应健全保密制度,对新闻从业人员在职务行为中接触的国家秘密信息,应明确知悉范围和保密期限,健全国家秘密载体的收发、传递、使用、复制、保存和销毁制度,禁止非法复制、记录、存储国家秘密,禁止在任何媒体以任何形式传递国家秘密,禁止在私人交往和通信中涉及国家秘密。

新闻从业人员上岗应当经过保密教育培训,并签订保密承诺书。

第五条 新闻单位应按照《劳动合同法》的有关规定,与新闻从业人员就职务行为信息中的商业秘密、未公开披露的信息、职务作品等与知识产权相关的保密事项,签订职务行为信息保密协议,建立职务行为信息统一管理制度。

保密协议须分类明确新闻从业人员职务行为信息的权利归属、使用规范、离岗离职后的义务和违约责任。

新闻从业人员不得违反保密协议的约定,向其他境内外媒体、网站提供职务行为信息,或者担任境外媒体的“特约记者”、“特约通讯员”、“特约撰稿人”或专栏作者等。

第六条 新闻从业人员不得利用职务行为信息谋取不正当利益。

第七条 新闻从业人员以职务身份开设博客、微博、微信等,须经所在新闻单位批准备案,所在单位负有日常监管职责。

新闻从业人员不得违反保密协议的约定,通过博客、微博、微信公众账号或个人账号等任何渠道,以及论坛、讲座等任何场所,透露、发布职务行为信息。

第八条 新闻从业人员离岗离职要交回所有涉密材料、文件,在法律规定或协议约定的保密期限内履行保密义务。

第九条 新闻单位须将签署保密承诺书和职务行为信息保密协议,作为新闻从业人员劳动聘用和职务任用的必要条件,未签订的不得聘用和任用。

第十条 新闻采编人员申领、换领新闻记者证,须按照《新闻记者证管理办法》的规定提交有关申报材料,申报材料中未包含保密承诺书和职务行为信息保密协议的,不予核发新闻记者证。

第十一条 新闻单位应在参加新闻记者证年度核验时,向新闻出版广电行政部门报告新闻从业人员保密承诺书和保密协议签订、执行情况。

第十二条 新闻从业人员违反保密承诺和保密协议、擅自使用职务行为信息的,新闻单位应依照合同追究违约责任,视情节作出行政处理或纪律处分,并追究其民事责任。

第十三条 新闻单位的主管主办单位应督促所属新闻单位健全保密承诺和保密协议制度,履行管理责任;新闻出版广电行政部门应加强本行政区域内新闻单位职务行为信息管理情况的日常监督检查。

第十四条 新闻从业人员擅自发布职务行为信息造成严重后果的,由新闻出版广电行政部门依法吊销新闻记者证,列入不良从业行为记录,做出禁业或限业处理。

第十五条 新闻单位对新闻从业人员职务行为信息管理混乱,造成失密泄密、敲诈勒索、侵权等严重问题的,由新闻出版广电行政部门等依法查处,责令整改,对拒不改正或整改不到位的不予通过年度核验,情节严重的撤销许可证,并依法追究新闻单位负责人和直接责任人的责任。

第十六条 新闻从业人员违反规定使用职务行为信息造成失密泄密的,依法追究相关人员责任,涉嫌违法犯罪的移送司法机关处理。

第十七条 本办法自发布之日起施行。

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