Despite broad support for the central government's restructuring plans, there is one immediate problem: what to call its reorganized media administration.

"It's just too lengthy," said Wu Shulin, deputy director of the General Administration of Press and Publications, about the proposed name for the new media regulatory authority which is 14 Chinese characters long.

On Sunday, the State Council said the country's press and broadcasting regulators would be merged to oversee the press, publication, radio, film and television sectors as part of efforts to cut red tape.

The plan is to integrate the press administration and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television into a ministerial-level State General Administration of Press, Publications, Radio, Film and Television.

"The proposed name needs to be revised," said Wu, who is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body.

Global vision

Online, controversy over the name sparked some 320,000 microblog posts.

"Why not call it 'the State Media Regulatory Authority'?" read one.

"To call it 'the General Administration of Media' is better," wrote another.

Zhang Pimin, SARFT's deputy director, agreed the proposed name was not a good one.

"We need a global vision to name the new administration scientifically, intelligently and concisely," said Zhang, who is also a national political adviser.

Zhang said streamlining government was an irresistible trend as the overlapping of functions and overstaffing had resulted in low efficiency and buck-passing among different departments.

The State Council's restructuring package also includes the dismantling of the Ministry of Railways, the integration of the Health Ministry and the National Population and Family Planning Commission, and the reorganization of the State Food and Drug Administration, the State Oceanic Administration and the National Energy Administration.

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