Professor Ling-chi Wang of UC Berkeley: Hi, Julie: Johnson is right. So is John. The worst is yet to come. If the DOJ were to apply the same criteria it used on Sing Tao, the World Journal (世界日报) should likewise receive the same treatment because it is a propaganda mouthpiece for the Taiwan government since the DPP seized control of the government. I believe the Chinese Press (桥报), the third Chinese-language newspaper in the U.S.,has long been subjected to the same treatment Sing Tao now gets from the U.S. government.
In the early 1950s, Chung Sai (中西日报), was forced to close because its new owner was suspected of being pro-PRC. The Gold Gate Daily (金门日报), an openly pro-PRC paper, printed in red rather than black ink, was shut down within weeks. The most celebrated case was the China Daily News (华侨日报), owned by members of the Chinese Hand Laundry Association (CHLA), a business organization made up of owners of hundreds of Chinese hand laundrymen across New York City. The paper celebrated the founding of the PRC and reported news of New China. The paper steadfastly resisted government repression and continued publication until the 1990s. Both the publisher and editor were prosecuted and convicted by some ridiculous charges, too complicated to explain in this email. They both served time. Subscribers of the paper across the U.S. were investigated investigated and intimidated by the FBI and newspaper stands in Chinatowns refused to carry the paper. By 1960s, the paper, operated on shoe-strings, was was able to print only twice a week and in two sheets and had only about 200 die-hard supporters.
Since Sing Tao also runs a Chinese-language radio programs, I am sure the license-holder of the radio station will be pressured to drop its Chinese programming or face the revocation of its FCC license. I would not be surprised if the staff are already subject to HLS and IRS investigations, a standard government tool of harassment and intimidation.
Johnson Choi Biz 