Update | 'Most dangerous woman in China' under fire after criticising corrupt journalists
Caixin Media editor-in-chief Hu Shuli, often called “the most dangerous woman in China”, waded into a heated debate about corruption in the media industry by blasting journalists' "rent-seeking" practices, but some say she's ignoring the struggle with increasing censorship.
Journalists across China have thrown themselves into a heated debate about corruption in the media industry after the arrest of Chen Yongzhou, the Guangzhou-based New Express reporter who admitted to accepting bribes and publishing articles containing false accusations.
"To see journalistic privileges such as reporting the facts and the media's watchdog power being traded for money, as exposed by the Chen Yongzhou incident, it makes one extremely sad," Hu wrote. "This scandal is a self-inflicted wound on the media industry."
Hu's take-no-prisoners approach has apparently angered some of her media industry colleagues. They have since published various commentary articles and blogs in retort, blaming her for missing the "bigger picture" of the industry’s struggle with increasing censorship, especially in a time when newspapers, amid an onslaught from new media, have seen a dive in profits following a national economic slowdown. Some went further, accusing Hu of currying favour with the Communist Party and siding with the "evil forces" of government censors in their effort to silence journalists.
Chen Yongzhou was taken away by policemen from Changsha, Hunan, on October 18, and accused of “fabricating facts” and “damaging the commercial reputation” of Changsha-based Zoomlion, one of China’s largest makers of construction equipment. He made a public confession in a CCTV programme a week later, admitting to taking bribes. China’s reporters rallied for Chen’s release after his detention, criticising the police force for abusing its power.