Chinese Media Ethics Wanting: Solution Found
Just came across an excellent post on media payments (see my earlier post on this here) at the Off the Record Blog, entitled, "Chinese Media Ethics Wanting (II): Towards A Solution." The post sets out the various rationalizations given by Western PR firms for making payments to Chinese journalists, refutes them one by one, and then proposes Western PR firms in China do the following:
But there is a way forward. Refuse to get on the slippery slope. Or if you are on the slope already, opt off. It'll be worth the short-term pain.
Or get together with some like minded PRO's from other companies and start to place pressure on the China International Public Relations Association (CIPRA) and the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) to help overhaul Chinese media ethics. To borrow from Marx (Karl not Groucho) we have nothing to lose but our chains.
The Off the Record Blog is put out by AC Capital Strategic Public Relations, which describes itself as "a dynamic, innovative and well-connected, China-based strategic communications consultancy firm" that engages in the following from its offices in Beijing and Shanghai:
- Corporate reputation management and corporate branding
- Issues and crisis management
- Communications training programs, including media interview, crisis management and public speaking skills
- Public affairs and government relations
- Employee Engagement and change management communications
- Financial communications and investor relations.
They put out an interesting blog focused on China public relations (PR). I am amazed this is the first time I have come across it.
The blogosphere is all over this story and covering it from various perspectives. For more on media payments and media corruption in China, check out the following:
- ImageThief, "WaPo's Ed Cody on media bribery in China;"
- Washington Post, "Blackmailing By Journalists In China Seen As 'Frequent;'"
- China Herald, "Journalists, making a living by blackmailing;"
- Asia Business Media, "Journalism as a lucrative business";
- Silicon Hutong, "WaPo: Blackmailing by Journalists in China is Seen as Frequent;"
- My Mark, "Culture of corruption";
- Dad29, "China Is Our Friend, Part 58249."
Comments
My wife is working as a journalist for more than 10 years and for CCTV for 5 years. She always tell me about stories of her colleagues from anchors to producers who receive expensive gifts (from mobile phones to cars). The problem she points out is that they don't even see it as bribery, they don't question themselves. They see it as a "privilege" of the job.
Posted by: Romain Guerel (French working in Beijing) | February 1, 2007 8:05 PM
Romain --
I completely believe it.
Posted by: China Law Blog | February 1, 2007 8:43 PM
Dogbert: I wish everyone in the world could learn to live in peace and harmony, giving up violence completely.
Dilbert: That's a beautiful sentiment, Dogbert.
Dogbert: That way, I could take over the entire world with a butter knife.
Following Dogbert's logic, once all PR firms swear off giving bribes, I could get my story on the front page of every newspaper for a measly 10 RMB bribe.
;-)
Posted by: Thomas | February 2, 2007 6:58 AM
Thomas --
Your argument is flawed as it is based on the assumption that if everyone swore off bribes, the moral import of accepting bribes would remain static. Wrong. If everyone swore of the paying of bribes, those who receive them would tend to be ostrasized and thus would require more to do it. Indeed, I think this is also wrong from an economic perspective as well. If bribes become rarer, the cost of them should go up.
Posted by: China Law Blog | February 2, 2007 10:05 PM
Let me try to understand Thomas' argument posted here against stopping payment of bribes to the media: It will push up the cost of bribes making bribery more expensive. This assumes price elasticity for buying media coverage. It actually isn't true - companies prepared to bribe will reach a point where the price is too high and will stop. Bribe money would be handed over to the advertising department to buy legitimate media and PR folks would have to do their real jobs.
Besides, if pricing is a concern with bribes we should accept bribes in all industries and in all dealings with all governments as a legitimate mechanism to improve competition in the market. The more bribery that takes place, the lower the price of bribes. Hmmmm. Anyone like to try that experiment?
Posted by: Alexander | February 3, 2007 3:45 PM
Alexander --
Thanks for checking in. Nicely put. I concur.
Posted by: China Law Blog | February 3, 2007 8:40 PM