BEIJIBG – China has started to further tighten the grip over the Media inthe country.

China is consolidating film, news and publishing regulation under thepowerful Communist Party publicity department, strengthening Beijing’s gripover content.

The shift comes as China looks to merge ministries and create newregulators overseeing matters from banking to food safety, in the biggestgovernment shake-up in years.

China, under President Xi Jinping, has been cracking down on news, onlinecontent and film that goes against Party values.

The reorganisation would mean the publicity department would play a“special and important role in propaganda ideology and culturalentertainment” said the notice from the ruling Party’s Central Committeeand dated March 19.

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The publicity department did not immediately reply to a faxed request forcomment and could not be reached by phone.

The body will take on powers over film, news and publishing, previouslyheld by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film andTelevision, which was dissolved earlier this month as part of the widerreshuffle.

In addition, China has also approved the creation of new broadcaster called“Voice of China,” which will consolidate several existing state TV andradio stations, the document said. – Agencies