Beijing Media: 6 employees detained for questioning
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-04 14:29

Beijing Media Corp., the first Chinese state-owned media company to sell shares to the public, said two of its vice presidents and four other employees have been detained in Beijing.

Beijing Media Chairman Zhang Yanping (center) presents a souvenir to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on the company's debut yesterday in Hong Kong. [newsphoto]

Advertising department head Yu Dagong and two of his subordinates were being held on suspicion of bribery while another employee of the department and Vice Presidents Zheng Yijun and Niu Ming were detained for unspecified reasons, Beijing Media said in a statement late Monday.

All six have been suspended and the company planned to conduct its own investigation and assess any financial impact, the statement said.

Beijing Media is the advertising arm for the Beijing Youth Daily, the Chinese capital's second biggest-selling newspaper.

The company listed its shares in Hong Kong in December after selling a 25 percent stake to the public, marking the first time that China's government allowed outsiders to own stock in its tightly controlled media industry.

Beijing Media in August reported earnings of 170,000 yuan (US$21,000; euro17,630) in the first half of 2005, a drastic drop from the 66.3 million yuan it posted in the six months ending June 2004.

The company had warned that its first-half results would be hurt by Chinese government controls on property projects _ a major source of the company's revenue.

Beijing Media shares were suspended Monday following a magazine report on the investigation into the company. The company has applied to resume trading Tuesday.

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