Slash LaneAmongst increasing pressure from the Chinese media and a journalism advocacy group, iPod maker Foxconn has reduced a libel claim against two Shanghai journalists from 30 million yuan to just 1 yuan, the Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.
"This is a victory for Chinese media," Weng Bao, one of the two reporters working for the Shanghai-based China Business News, was quoted as saying.
It was not immediately clear why the damages claim had been cut, but the Chinese media strongly condemned the suit and a journalists' advocacy group, Reporters Without Borders, recently requested that Apple intercede in the matter.
"Apple is working behind the scenes to help resolve this issue," Apple spokesman Jill Tan confirmed to the Associated Press on Wednesday.
Foxconn had sued the two journalists over a June 15 report that accused the company of violating workers' rights by forcing them to work overtime for low pay. The suit was said to be one of the largest defamation cases filed in China against reporters.
While reducing the claim against the two journalists, Foxconn said would add the China Business News to the list of defendants in the defamation case, Xinhua reported.
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8 Comments
According to OS X's currency convertor, 1 yuan = 12.6 cents US.
That's over 6 cents apiece for the 2 journalists. Or, one Jolly Rancher they will each have to give up.
Let the punishment fit the crime.
According to OS X's currency convertor, 1 yuan = 12.6 cents US.
That's over 6 cents apiece for the 2 journalists. Or, one Jolly Rancher they will each have to give up.
Let the punishment fit the crime.
According to the Reuters story, it's actually 1 million yuan. That works out to just over $125K. I bet the reporters' news agency won't actually be added to the suit and the complete suit will be eventually dropped.
I'm gonna guess that's supposed to read 1 million yuan?
OK, after digging around a bit, it is just one yuan. This is following a similar suit brought by Foxconn in Taiwan in 2004. It's all about scaring journalists and making a point.
Thing is, I think it has backfired on them. It'll bring more scrutiny on the company and its practices.