A Shenzhen media exec was found dead yesterday in an apparent suicide, fuelling debates about pressure facing the media in Chinese mainland and a lack of awareness about mental health.
According to local media reports, police found Zhang Jingwu's body along with a suicide note by a lake near Xiangmihu on Thursday. Zhang, head of the Shenzhen Press Group Circulation, went missing on Wednesday.
According to editor-in-chief of the affiliated Daily Sunshine, Hu Hongxia, Zhang had suffered from depression, which is often left undiagnosed in China.
"Zhang contributed significantly to our newspaper and we deeply regret his death," the co-worker posted on Weibo.
The news follows a recent spike in media suicides, including a senior Xinhua editor who was found dead in Hefei, Anhui Province on Monday night. The editor, Song Bin, had reportedly also battled depression. Similarly, the deputy chief of the Hangzhou-based Dushi Kuaibao committed suicide earlier this week, and a senior official with the State Council Information Office, Li Wufeng, jumped to his death from a Beijing office in March. News surrounding Li's death has been censored.
One internet asked, "how could they not have been depressed if they have to live with sucking up to the propaganda department and telling lies every day?" Another Shenzhen netizen posted on Weibo, "What's happening to our editors and journalists?".
According to the China Youth Daily, 23 government officials also committed suicide last year with reports blaming depression and job pressure for the deaths.
[Image via Weibo]
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