Recently, the news of a press conference of the State Council Information Office has sparked heated discussions on social networks. The incident began when a journalist dressed in a rural-style overalls mistakenly referred to a negative term like "illegal fishing" for ordinary fishing activities during a questioning session. This inappropriate language immediately sparked an outcry from reporters and netizens at the scene.
It is understood that the incident occurred at a regular press conference held by the State Council Information Office a few days ago. An unidentified female reporter said during the question-and-answer session: "There have been frequent cases of illegal fishing in some places recently, and I would like to ask the government what management measures are in place?"
Other reporters present expressed strong dissatisfaction. They argue that fishing itself should not fall under the category of "illegal". Only those fishing with electric nets or poisons can be called illegal fishing practices. Fishing by the general public is just a healthy activity for leisure and recreation, and there is no suspicion of violating the law at all.
The female reporter's question was aptly phrased "to turn an egg into egg drop soup", which seriously misled the public's perception of fishing activities. As soon as these words came out, the reporters on the scene could not hide their dissatisfaction. A reporter pointed out on the spot that fishing is a traditional project of Chinese culture, not some "illegal" behavior.
The female journalist had apparently reversed the facts, and was completely open-mouthed, and should take responsibility for correcting her misleading expressions. Some reporters also privately said that this kind of issue should not be raised at the official press conference of the State Council at all, which will seriously affect the order of the venue and the credibility of the news.
The news also spread quickly and attracted a lot of attention. Across the country, groups of fishing enthusiasts expressed strong dissatisfaction with the journalist's inappropriate expressions. They have corrected the facts on major social platforms, accusing the reporter of "reversing black and white", "treating a wooden stick as a big knife", and branding a leisure and entertainment project as "illegal".
Fishing is a long-standing traditional culture and the main leisure activity for many middle-aged and elderly people. Especially in rural areas, many middle-aged and elderly anglers can be seen in the afternoon in parks or by rivers. They go fishing to relax and enjoy nature, and there is no suspicion of breaking the law at all.
And the arbitrary tone of this female reporter has undoubtedly had an extremely bad impact on these anglers and is extremely irresponsible. After the incident was exposed, the female journalist herself also spoke out on social media to explain herself, saying that she used inappropriate words when asking questions and did not realize that it would be misleading.
Netizens questioned this, believing that she "deliberately fished for her own humiliation" and used the name of "illegal" to contain the government, trying to make a verbal joke for a while. Some netizens revealed that this female reporter used to work for a financial media and often gave people the feeling of "misleading the public".
Fishing enthusiast groups around the country said they would unite and propose to the relevant authorities that the "fishing management measures" be revised to clearly distinguish between fishing by the general public and commercial fishing, and that such false accusations of "illegal behavior" are strictly prohibited. They will also report the matter to the news department and give positive comments to those media and reporters who truthfully report the facts and defend the rights and interests of the public.
The reason why this incident caused an uproar is that it touched on fishing, a folk cultural project that is deeply sympathetic to the people. It also highlights that indiscriminately speculating or using negative words to blame others in reporting will lead to doubts and dissatisfaction. When disseminating information, media professionals should ensure factual positions and avoid misleading public views.
Government departments should also pay close attention to public complaints, revise laws and regulations in a timely manner, and seek good development for various cultural activities. Only by listening to each other and collaborating can we promote social progress and harmony.
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