Since last week, news about the copyright ownership of the song "Jasmine Flower" and the military composer He Fang's receipt of a million yuan in royalties for this song has flooded various media outlets. However, this is a seriously inaccurate piece of news! A reporter from the Xinmin Evening News contacted Mr. He Fang, who resides at a retirement home for officers in the Nanjing Military Region, via telephone yesterday. He stated clearly: "I am a revolutionary soldier and also a cultural warrior of the Party. I can say without reservation that, to this day, the total amount of royalties and fees I have received for 'Jasmine Flower' is over 200,000 yuan." According to reports, this rumor originated from a press conference held in Nanjing regarding the status of intellectual property protection. A division director responsible for copyright management at the city's Press and Publication Bureau mentioned during his introduction of background music charging work, citing the example of He Fang, the rights holder of "Jasmine Flower," earning over a million yuan in royalties. Since this situation was introduced by a responsible official from a government department in a formal setting, many journalists found it highly convincing and thus frequently cited this "typical example" in their reports. He Fang told the reporter from the Evening News that on the evening of the same day, after his daughter saw this news on TV, she was very surprised and immediately called the television station, pointing out that this was a false report and demanding a correction. ...
The issue has sparked discussions about the accuracy of information provided by official sources and the responsibility of journalists to verify such claims before reporting them. It also highlights the importance of intellectual property rights and the need for accurate representation in public discourse. Mr. He Fang emphasized his dedication to both his military service and artistic contributions, clarifying the financial details surrounding one of China's most beloved folk songs. This incident serves as a reminder of the potential for misinformation even when originating from authoritative channels, urging vigilance and thorough investigation in journalistic practices.