(Xinhua/Zhu Huiqing) |
Key Words: Weibo; microblog; media; credibility
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Everyone can post a message on Weibo but when it comes to some unexpected events and hot topics, people always hope to seek confirmation from traditional media especially the official media. However, the traditional media with the responsibility of finding the truth choose to keep silence sometimes.
"The news of today will become history tomorrow". Acting as a witness and record of the process of social development, news reports are neutral and there are no good or bad, right or wrong reports. News value is the standard whether or not to report it. However, some media choose to keep silent due to many other factors, rather than the news value.
For example, some media are easy to be kidnapped by interests when their professional demand conflicts with commercial interests, and turn a blind eye to some events and issues.
Most media practitioners knew that they must publish a critical report quickly. Otherwise, it will be unable to access to the public once the criticized government department begins to "fight back" and blocks the truth by power. They even will be forced to cover up the truth under pressure.
Sometimes, it is a habit for media practitioners to keep silent in face of news events, and they will subconsciously list them as improper reports because they believe that they may cross a line and be criticized for covering the news. Therefore, they would rather turn a blind eye than run a risk of being criticized.
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