Media watchdog director, Party chief named amid reshuffles

Two officials have become director and Party chief of the State Council's newly merged press and broadcasting regulator amid a series of high-level personnel reshuffles.

Cai Fuchao, 62, was appointed director of the State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio and Television.

Jiang Jianguo, became the administration's deputy director as well as Party secretary, China Press and Publication News reported on Wednesday.

Pan Ligang, deputy head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, announced the appointment on Tuesday at a meeting of the administration, the report said.

The administration originated from the merger of the State Council's two media regulators, the former General Administration of Press and Publication and former State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

The merging was approved by the National People's Congress on March 14.

Apart from regulating the country's press and broadcasting industries, the administration will also take charge of intellectual property rights protection.

Cai had been head of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television since February 2011.

Before that, he had been head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Committee since January 2008.

Cai said upon being appointed that he will dedicate himself to the development of the country's press and broadcasting industries, according to the China Press and Publication News, which is affiliated with the administration.

Jiang, the administration's Party chief, had been deputy head of the General Administration of Press and Publication since October 2008.

Zhan Furui, executive deputy director of the National Library of China and also an NPC deputy, said the new administration is expected to boost the development of culture-related industries.

"A stronger press and broadcasting administration is going to have more influence over the State Council's decision-making process," he said.

The State Council's institutional reform has seen the number of its ministerial departments cut from 27 to 25.

It also led to a round of personnel changes at provincial- and ministerial-level agencies.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn