China fights corruption in entertainment industries
- By Zhang Rui
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E-mail China.org.cn, February 10, 2015
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Li Qiufang, a member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), said during an online interview that the television and film industry is "no pure land" and contains many "risks of corruption" in Beijing on Jan. 29, 2015. [Photo/people.com.cn] |
4. Procurement of equipment
In the movie and TV industries, the studios and TV channels will purchase equipment from certain suppliers. Although there appears to be open tendering, the leader will decide who will win the final bid.
"Price and quality are secondary issues. No matter how good your price, you have to have a good relationship with leaders or purchasers first," said an official from an equipment provider who once participated in Tianjin local TV networks' public bidding.
Song Xiaofeng, an official from Anhui TV Station, took advantage of his position to take bribes during the projects and budget approval. Shi Wenlian, top leader of Liaoning Provincial TV Station, also took bribes and broke various rules. Both were punished.
5. Advertising
"How a commercial can be broadcast, on what platform, at what time, and how much is the kickbacks are all hidden rules and channels," one insider said. The TV and movie distribution channel are something of a monopoly; the power to approve the broadcasting and circulation equals money. Some advertising centers of certain TV networks will raise the ad fees to a very high level, then the internal staff will find ad agencies for clients to get kickbacks.
Some TV and radio stations even turned themselves into particular platforms to broadcast health medicines, medicine companies and certain low quality hospitals for profit.
"There is too much money involved, and many ad department executives have fallen, " said one insider from a local TV station in Hebei Province.
Another insider from Chongqing's TV and broadcasting bureau said the commercial broadcasting price depends on the TV ratings of programs. Some third party statistics tracking companies sometimes take bribe from TV stations to fake statistics.
Besides the five aspects mentioned above, the news reporting and overseas branches are also most open to corruption.
"Based on what was learnt last year, the inspection group will deepen its anti-corruption inspection by handling these fields one by one," Li said.
The discipline agency will also promote the introduction of regulations this year to deter staff of the industry from corruption, Li said.
The anti-graft drive underway since the current Chinese leadership took over in late 2012 has brought down scores of officials at ministerial level and above, including four State leaders.
Statistics from the CCDI show that the top anti-graft watchdog probed 405 graft cases involving the media last year, with 49 media directors placed under investigation on suspicion of corruption.
For example, last year, more than 20 directors and hosts from China Central Television were taken away for alleged graft, including Guo Zhenxi, former director at CCTV's financial channel, Huang Haitao, deputy director at CCTV's program purchasing center and Rui Chenggang, the former well-known host of a CCTV finance program.
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