Chinese try to bribe TV consumer show

Press, 30 January 1986, Page 19

Chinese try to bribe TV consumer show

NZPA-AP Peking Producers of a television show that lets Peking viewers air their grievances have been threatened and offered bribes by people who want to influence the show’s content, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The Sunday night programme, “Voice of The Audience,” is a combination consumer watchdog, advice service and platform for viewers who want to criticise or praise services, Xinhua said. Some _ 7000 viewers have written to the popular programme since it was first aired by the State-run Peking TV station last April, according to the report. “Some people we have passed on complaints to have become very angry. Some have made threats or tried to bribe the TV station. Others try to evade the complaint,” Xinhua quoted Wang Yan,

the programme’s host, as saying.

“One case involved the makers of Snowflake refrigerators, one of China’s most famous brands,” Wang said. “A Peking resident, Li Xueliu, complained to the programme that his new refrigerator was not working, and he could not get it repaired. ' “Factory officials tried to keep the programme from mentioning the case, saying it would destroy Snowflake’s reputation and damage Peking’s economy.” “The Peking mayor, Chen Xitong, finally intervened and said if the story is true, it can be shown.

“The company quickly repaired the refrigerator and improved quality control, but its relationship with the television station remains strained.”

Wang said every complaint aired was investigated for accuracy, and

viewers had to decide for themselves whether the parties concerned had acted fairly. Most of those criticised were polite and tried to fix their mistakes. When a viewer complained about faulty win-dow-sealing tapes produced by the Harbin plywood factory, the factory wrote to thank the viewer, Xinhua said. A gripe about noise from carpentry and blacksmith shops brought a halt to the clamour, and a-district official phoned in to say the workshops would be closed, the news agency said.

Sometimes the show answers requests for advice on family planning, health, and other topics.

The eight-minute programme has time to air only four or five items. For cases that are not aired, the producers write to the parties believed to be responsible and urge them to solve the problem,' the report said.