The Epoch Times -- Anyone Have Ownership/Background Info?

[mcscajun]

Today in the supermarket I found a free paper I'd never seen before: The Epoch Times. The headlines were more than unusual compared to the free papers usually available in supermarkets in the NJ area or, in fact, anywhere to my knowledge: "Hurricane Victims Now Face Greater Disasters"; "Amidst Internal Crisis, China's President Visits Other Nations"; "Marathon Talks at U.N. to Avoid Crisis at Summit".

Emblazoned on the banner was their website URL: http://www.theepochtimes.com

I went to the "About Us" page for more info, and got less than I was looking for -- which was, quite frankly, ownership info.

I did find this:

The Epoch Times is a privately held news media company. The center is in New York, but our network of local reporters throughout the world uncovers stories that are authentically local, yet also globally relevant. Our independence enables us to report widely and present a diversity of opinions.
(snip)
A special strength of the Epoch Times is our coverage of China. Today the world is increasingly looking to China, as this troubled giant goes through tremendous changes. Business and political leaders, and also world citizens, want to understand better what is happening there. We are able to provide well-sourced stories that no one else has through the original reporting done by the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times.
(snip)
The English edition of The Epoch Times launched in September 2003 on the web, and in August 2004 as a newspaper in New York. It meets a growing need for news reported and published independently, uncovering stories that have depth and meaning to people. In English, as well as in other languages, it serves a broad, international readership.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/aboutus.html

Wikipedia has this to say about it (emphasis mine):

The Epoch Times originally targeted Chinese readers living abroad and reported on the alleged persecutions, abuses, and inner workings of the CCP. Its reports on China are highly critical. It has since grown to report on civil rights issues worldwide in a conservative view, and now appeals to a somewhat wider audience. The English edition represents itself as a general-interest newspaper that, although it maintains a large amount of China-related content, offers 12 other sections, including travel, science, sports, and regional and international news featuring articles from major wire services.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Epoch_Times

I find it very odd that this paper just turned up this week, and I'm wondering if there's a Moon connection here?

[salvorhardin]

1. John Tang apparently

I'm not sure if this is a hosting service for the site or not, but right now it doesn't appear to be so. I'll have to check later.

John (Zhong) Tang appears as the domain owner for both http://www.epochtimes.com AND http://www.broadhealth.com

John (Zhong) Tang
733 Vinebrook Ln
Suwanee, GA 30024
678-777-7229
770-831-0739
678-777-7229
[email protected]
[email protected]

[LibertyLou]

2. They are Closely Linked to Falun Gong I've Read

see this link, and do more searching yourself...

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/Metro/GE12Ak01.html

and have been the target of Chinese agent attacks, inside the United States...

Here's another link:

http://discuss.agonist.org/yabbse/index.php?board=6;action=display;threadid=23059

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

3. About 2 weeks ago, i saw several different folks

on different corners setting up the "free Newspaper" dispensers in Manhattan. since then, a pile of Epoch Times has been outside my building.

The name Epoch freaks me out.

[salvorhardin]

4. It does have a certain Sun Myung Moon ring to it, eh? n/t

[mcscajun]

6. Exactly right! I wasn't going to pick up the rag, but then that word

piqued my curiosity. The Moon possiblities are what made me bring it home; I haven't actually read the paper yet.

[LibertyLou]

5. Here's Some More Detail on Background...

snip:
In the West, where the group is free to organize and freedom of the press is far greater, the FLG do much advocacy work through the press. In 2004 questions began to arise over whether certain Western-based organizations, such as newspaper group The Epoch Times and New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV), are actually FLG organizations. The Chinese government claims they are propaganda tools for the FLG intended to damage the reputation of the Chinese government. The FLG claim they are independent news organizations.

There does appear to be, at the very least, an intimate association between these groups and the FLG. In early 2004, Li Hongzhi, the founder and spiritual leader of the group, gave his one and only interview since the group was banned to the NTDTV. According to a report in the Far Eastern Economic Review, prominent FLG spokespeople serve as a director for NTDTV and on the board of The Epoch Times; both organizations give the FLG prominent coverage. In addition, both organizations are staffed by volunteers, often FLG followers, whose main jobs are unrelated to journalism.

One reason why the group might deny its association with these news organizations is that Li Hongzhi teaches his followers that they must not be political. This was a good survival tactic while the group was still legal in China. However, it now seems at odds with reality while the group functions as a protest movement outside China. Nonetheless, the group continues to maintain this position. This may partly explain why they deny association with these media organizations notable for their distinctive focus critical of the Chinese government.

Regardless of how one views the control/ownership controversy, it is clear that the FLG organization and its members are producing news and information for public consumption. In the past few years, Mr. Li has encouraged his practitioners to establish their own news organizations in order to get their message out. This might have something to do with the group's gradually increasing dissatisfaction with FLG coverage in mainstream press. Initially, the coverage of the group was mostly sympathetic, frequent and reflected the group's views. Over time, however, followers felt the coverage grew inadequate and failed to reflect their concerns about the magnitude and immediacy of their cause. The solution was to create their own coverage.
snip

http://www.rickross.com/reference/fa_lun_gong/falun290.html

and this link too:

http://forum.japantoday.com/m_486244/mpage_2/tm.htm

[mcscajun]

7. The puzzling thing to me is...wouldn't the primary audience for this

paper be Chinese-Americans?

My area isn't exactly a hot spot of Chinese culture. Very odd, that.

The conservative slant also disturbs me...like we need any MORE of that around Morris County, NJ.

[LibertyLou]

8. I think there might be another angle to it as well...

Epoch Times could perhaps be funded by the US (CIA via some fronts like NED or similar)...they are actively opposing the CCP (Chinese Communist Party)...