Xinhua republished an article by China Youth News concering frequent scandals divulging that news reporters in China had accepted bribes. The most recent such incident was that news reporters accepted 2.6 million yuan “acceptance fees” for not reporting over 30 deaths during a mine explosion in Wei County, Hebei Province on July 14, 2008. Nine reporters from eight news media (local media and central government media) were sentenced to prison terms, fined, and banned from reporting news.
China Youth News said the large number of scandals is a result of news reporters pursuing money for themselves and forgetting their social responsibility.
Source: Xinhua, April 2, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2010-04/02/content_13287383.htm