It is wrong for the media to sacrifice their reputation by repeating rumors in the hope of getting more readers, said an article in People’s Daily (excerpts below)

According to research by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on 100 hot topics on micro blogs in China rumor mongering is a serious problem.

Both traditional and new media are challenged by the digital landscape. When competing for audiences, some media simply forget their professional ethics and social responsibility.

These media outlets may be popular for a while but they can soon lose any public credibility by falling for rumors.

False facts are easy to spread. The media have a more important role to play than just spreading rumors and lies.