分享一篇文章: A commentary in People's Daily last week said some media outlets still take pleasure in churning out false news. The latest example, it said, was a widely spread report that there are 3,220 people on the Chinese mainland whose personal wealth exceeded 100 million yuan ($14.6 million) each, and 2,932, or 91 percent, of them are children of high-ranking officials. "This is an out and out false news," the commentary said, citing some authoritative institutions that were rumored to be the source of the news. The commentary analyzed the reason why false news could still be spread after so many cases had been revealed and denounced. It said false news generally suits readers' and viewers' "consumption needs". Meeting these needs can "bring huge commercial benefits" to the media, it said. Two questions arose in my mind after I read the commentary. First, why does the above news "suit the readers' and viewers' consumption needs?" Second, where can they get true information on the subject? The public is concerned over reports of rich people's income because it resents that a Shanxi coalmine boss bought 100 million yuan ($14.7 million) worth of villas in Beijing in the first half of this year while a blue-collar worker in the city needs to work and save for 90 years to be able to buy a second-hand 70-sq-m apartment. The public also resents the fact that the general manager of State-owned Sinopec squandered 40,000 yuan ($5,882) a day on banquets while a man in the countryside committed suicide because he couldn't pay 4,800 yuan a year to help his son realize his dream of studying in a university. All these incidents have been reported by the Chinese media. |