Watch the news or we’ll dock your pay, Chinese firm tells staff

A private firm in central China has made it compulsory for its staff to tune in daily to the state broadcaster’s noon news bulletin, with their attendance to be taken into account in their appraisals.

The employees of Qingyang pharmaceutical company in Zhengzhou, Henan province, are required to review each broadcast and submit their comments on them, Chinese news portal Hnr.cn reported.

And not only is attendance compulsory, those who miss the daily programme will get 100 yuan (US$14.50) docked from their salary each time. The practice started at the beginning of the month, according to the report.

In a staff announcement, management said watching the daily news was essential for all employees to keep abreast of the situation on the mainland as big business opportunities as well as the latest government policies on the medical industry would present themselves in the official television stations’ news bulletins.