China's press departments on Monday reiterated that all media
staff must "strictly follow news ethics" and persist with the
"authenticity of journalism" days after the infamous cardboard bun
expose was labeled a hoax by the government.
"The fabricated report about the cardboard buns, produced by the
Beijing TV's Life Channel and carried by many other media, has had
an extremely bad influence on society," said a statement jointly
released by three departments.
It condemned the act of fabricating news following a government
announcement that the report on buns stuffed with cardboard aired
on Beijing TV was fake.
The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Central Committee, State Administration of Radio, Film and
Television, and General Administration of Press and Publications
reminded state media and provincial-level publicity departments in
charge of local media to "brush up on journalistic ethnics" and
"maintain the image and social credibility of the Chinese
media".
"Authenticity is the lifeblood of journalism while fabricated
reporting is its arch-enemy," it said.
Some media workers, defying news ethnics and state regulations,
fabricated news to seek profits or influence, resulting in an
"extremely serious" outcome, said the statement.
All media organizations must ensure the authenticity of news
sources and facts and regulate the flow of news editing such as the
use of public contributions and Internet resources, it said, adding
editors are not allowed to run stories that have not been
verified.
The statement also required reporters to "take press cards while
covering new events".
The departments vowed to "impose heavy penalties" to reporters
and media organizations that deliberately fabricate news stories or
stir the influence of faked news, it said.
Six Beijing TV workers were either criticized, reprimanded or
sacked for their roles in the report and Beijing TV issued an
apology.
The head of Beijing Television Station was publicly reprimanded
and the editor-in-chief was given a warning. One deputy
editor-in-chief was given a demerit, said the statement. All three
were asked to compose self-criticisms.
The deputy director in charge of the Life Channel of the TV
service -- the director's post is vacant -- and the producer and a
deputy director in charge of the Transparency program were
sacked.
Police have arrested the reporter, Zi Beijia, a temporary
employee.
Beijing TV has also terminated the contracts of editorial staff
on the Transparency program.
(Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2007)