Reporters paid hush money

Journalists from various media organizations were paid a total of 125,700 yuan ($18,500) not to report on a mine accident in Shanxi province on Sept 20, the General Administration of Press and Publication said yesterday.

One of them, however, who claimed to be from a major news organization, was later found to be a fraud. He was paid 34,500 yuan by the Huozhou Coal and Electric Group.

His case has now been transferred to the judicial department for further investigation, the administration said in a statement yesterday.