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| German Broadcaster Fires Chinese Blogger | German Broadcaster Fires Chinese Blogger |
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| BERLIN — In the wake of a debate over the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, a well-known Chinese government critic has been fired from her job at a German public broadcaster. | |
| The activist, Su Yutong, 38, who has been exiled in Germany since 2010, was informed Tuesday that her contract with Deutsche Welle would not be renewed in 2015. In a statement on Wednesday, the broadcaster said the decision had been made because she disclosed information about internal meetings and publicly criticized a co-worker. | The activist, Su Yutong, 38, who has been exiled in Germany since 2010, was informed Tuesday that her contract with Deutsche Welle would not be renewed in 2015. In a statement on Wednesday, the broadcaster said the decision had been made because she disclosed information about internal meetings and publicly criticized a co-worker. |
| “It doesn’t have anything to do with an evaluation of what she wrote,” a Deutsche Welle spokesman, Johannes Hoffmann, said in a telephone interview from Bonn. “It’s just that she tweeted about internal issues about the Deutsche Welle in a way that no company in the world would tolerate. We warned her, and she continued to do it.” | “It doesn’t have anything to do with an evaluation of what she wrote,” a Deutsche Welle spokesman, Johannes Hoffmann, said in a telephone interview from Bonn. “It’s just that she tweeted about internal issues about the Deutsche Welle in a way that no company in the world would tolerate. We warned her, and she continued to do it.” |
| Many commentators on Chinese-language social media, however, see more at work, especially because Ms. Su was one of the most prolific bloggers on Deutsche Welle’s widely read Chinese-language website, and often very critical of Chinese government policy. In recent months, they say, more pro-Beijing voices have been given greater prominence. | Many commentators on Chinese-language social media, however, see more at work, especially because Ms. Su was one of the most prolific bloggers on Deutsche Welle’s widely read Chinese-language website, and often very critical of Chinese government policy. In recent months, they say, more pro-Beijing voices have been given greater prominence. |
| “Deutsche Welle seems to need voices like this now,” said the Beijing-based Tibetan writer Tsering Woeser. “As a foreign media outlet, it seems that Deutsche Welle has really deviated from standard news principles and values.” | “Deutsche Welle seems to need voices like this now,” said the Beijing-based Tibetan writer Tsering Woeser. “As a foreign media outlet, it seems that Deutsche Welle has really deviated from standard news principles and values.” |
| Ms. Su’s case stemmed from a column published on the Deutsche Welle website on June 4, the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre. Written by a regular Deutsche Welle columnist, the Beijing-based media consultant Frank Sieren, the column argued that some Western media outlets were unfairly critical of the Chinese government over the massacre. The article said that critics’ and the government’s points of view were equally valid, and that “1989 remains a one-off in recent Chinese history.” | Ms. Su’s case stemmed from a column published on the Deutsche Welle website on June 4, the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre. Written by a regular Deutsche Welle columnist, the Beijing-based media consultant Frank Sieren, the column argued that some Western media outlets were unfairly critical of the Chinese government over the massacre. The article said that critics’ and the government’s points of view were equally valid, and that “1989 remains a one-off in recent Chinese history.” |
| This ignited a storm of lively debate, with some Chinese writers accusing Deutsche Welle of giving equal weight to viewpoints that many people believe are discredited. A prominent exiled Chinese journalist, Chang Ping, was invited to write a rejoinder, which Deutsche Welle also published. Mr. Sieren then followed with his reply, and Mr. Chang gave his. | This ignited a storm of lively debate, with some Chinese writers accusing Deutsche Welle of giving equal weight to viewpoints that many people believe are discredited. A prominent exiled Chinese journalist, Chang Ping, was invited to write a rejoinder, which Deutsche Welle also published. Mr. Sieren then followed with his reply, and Mr. Chang gave his. |
| Ms. Su soon joined the fray. She, along with dozens of other Chinese intellectuals, signed a petition to Deutsche Welle protesting Mr. Sieren’s articles. She also posted on Twitter an edited photo of Mr. Sieren perched atop tanks driving down the main boulevard in Beijing. | Ms. Su soon joined the fray. She, along with dozens of other Chinese intellectuals, signed a petition to Deutsche Welle protesting Mr. Sieren’s articles. She also posted on Twitter an edited photo of Mr. Sieren perched atop tanks driving down the main boulevard in Beijing. |
| Perhaps most significant, she posted accounts of internal meetings held between Deutsche Welle directors and its Chinese-language staff, in which the staff is said to have been told to tone down its coverage. | Perhaps most significant, she posted accounts of internal meetings held between Deutsche Welle directors and its Chinese-language staff, in which the staff is said to have been told to tone down its coverage. |
| “He told us that he had been to see the Chinese ambassador and that we shouldn’t be so critical,” Ms. Su said in an interview. “That seemed very problematic issue for us.” | “He told us that he had been to see the Chinese ambassador and that we shouldn’t be so critical,” Ms. Su said in an interview. “That seemed very problematic issue for us.” |
| The Deutsche Welle spokesman, Dr. Hoffmann, said the German broadcaster was committed to a broad range of voices. He noted that Mr. Chang had been given the opportunity to write his rebuttals to Mr. Sieren’s articles. | The Deutsche Welle spokesman, Dr. Hoffmann, said the German broadcaster was committed to a broad range of voices. He noted that Mr. Chang had been given the opportunity to write his rebuttals to Mr. Sieren’s articles. |
| “It showed our willingness to have a broad dialogue,” Dr. Hoffmann said. “We have critical positions toward China and other positions too.” | “It showed our willingness to have a broad dialogue,” Dr. Hoffmann said. “We have critical positions toward China and other positions too.” |
| One Deutsche Welle contributor, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals for publicly criticizing the broadcaster, said that articles like Mr. Chang’s were increasingly rare on the Deutsche Welle website, while columnists like Mr. Sieren had become more prominent. | One Deutsche Welle contributor, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals for publicly criticizing the broadcaster, said that articles like Mr. Chang’s were increasingly rare on the Deutsche Welle website, while columnists like Mr. Sieren had become more prominent. |
| Since the beginning of the year, according to internal Deutsche Welle statistics, Mr. Sieren has published over 80 commentaries. | Since the beginning of the year, according to internal Deutsche Welle statistics, Mr. Sieren has published over 80 commentaries. |
| Mr. Sieren is a well-known media consultant in Beijing, who has published numerous books with titles such as “The China Shock,” “The China Code” and “The Concubine Economy.” He also wrote a sympathetic book on China with the former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who publishes the newspaper where Mr. Sieren used to work, Die Zeit. | Mr. Sieren is a well-known media consultant in Beijing, who has published numerous books with titles such as “The China Shock,” “The China Code” and “The Concubine Economy.” He also wrote a sympathetic book on China with the former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who publishes the newspaper where Mr. Sieren used to work, Die Zeit. |
| Mr. Sieren helps organize a German-China media summit along with Global Times, the English-language tabloid controlled by the state-run People’s Daily newspaper. His business partner runs a company in China, China Media Management, that has Deutsche Welle among its clients. | Mr. Sieren helps organize a German-China media summit along with Global Times, the English-language tabloid controlled by the state-run People’s Daily newspaper. His business partner runs a company in China, China Media Management, that has Deutsche Welle among its clients. |
| The German broadcaster is not new to controversies about its Chinese-language services. In 2008, one of its editors wrote numerous flattering articles about the Communist Party until she was moved from the news to the business side of the company. In response to her reassignment, China’s Xinhua news service said that the “Nazi spirit has returned” to Germany. In 2011, Deutsche Welle fired four Chinese staff members who said they were fired because they had not been sufficiently critical of China. | The German broadcaster is not new to controversies about its Chinese-language services. In 2008, one of its editors wrote numerous flattering articles about the Communist Party until she was moved from the news to the business side of the company. In response to her reassignment, China’s Xinhua news service said that the “Nazi spirit has returned” to Germany. In 2011, Deutsche Welle fired four Chinese staff members who said they were fired because they had not been sufficiently critical of China. |
| Around that time, the German broadcaster added more voices critical of China, such as Ms. Su and the Beijing-based journalist Gao Yu. The 70-year-old Ms. Gao has been detained since May, after participating in an event in Beijing to commemorate the 1989 massacre. | Around that time, the German broadcaster added more voices critical of China, such as Ms. Su and the Beijing-based journalist Gao Yu. The 70-year-old Ms. Gao has been detained since May, after participating in an event in Beijing to commemorate the 1989 massacre. |
| Liao Yiwu, a Chinese writer in exile in Berlin, said he worried that the case showed how even foreigners worry about how China will react to critical articles. Deutsche Welle is owned by the government, much like the British Broadcasting Corporation or the Voice of America, and has to balance journalistic issues with broader foreign-policy concerns. | Liao Yiwu, a Chinese writer in exile in Berlin, said he worried that the case showed how even foreigners worry about how China will react to critical articles. Deutsche Welle is owned by the government, much like the British Broadcasting Corporation or the Voice of America, and has to balance journalistic issues with broader foreign-policy concerns. |
| “I’m concerned that this is part of an overall trend in the world to play these issues down,” Mr. Liao said in an interview. “A lot of people have economic interests at stake, and they are worried.” | “I’m concerned that this is part of an overall trend in the world to play these issues down,” Mr. Liao said in an interview. “A lot of people have economic interests at stake, and they are worried.” |