Prosecutors probe media executives
Print Edition
SHANGHAI police said that “nearly 30” former executives, editors and reporters from a leading business media group were yesterday handed over to prosecutors for their alleged involvement in an extortion scandal.
The suspects include Shen Hao, ex-president of 21st Century Media Ltd, and two of its former vice presidents, Chen Dongyang and Le Bing.
They are each accused of blackmail and bribe-taking involving more than 100 million yuan (US$16 million).
Police did not say exactly how many people had been transferred to the prosecutors, but said they were all employees of the group’s seven operating companies and three flagship products — Money Weekly, the 21st Century Business Herald newspaper and its associated website 21cbh.com.
The executives used their influence to extort money from companies in return for favorable coverage and quashing negative reports, police said.
Shen is also accused of encouraging his staff to extort money from local businesses in the form of “cooperation” and “protection” fees, police said.
He and other executives abused their powers for personal gain, involving more than 1 million yuan, they said.
The case came to light in September, when Liu Dong, president of 21cbh.com, and other employees of the website were questioned by police.
On September 26, police leveled charges at the group as a whole and Shen was detained. On October 10, a further 25 people were taken into custody.
Authorities have since last March been running a campaign to quash graft in the media. One of their main focuses has been China Central Television.
In the past year, nine senior directors, producers and anchors from CCTV’s business channel have been questioned over alleged bribery.
They include director Guo Zhenxi, vice director Li Yong, producer and financial manager Wang Shijie, and anchors Rui Chenggang and Li Ping.
The latest addition was Luo Fanghua, a channel producer, who is related by marriage to Ling Jihua, the senior Party official currently being probed for corruption.
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