Baidu’s Li Under Assault in Media Spotlight 百度李彦宏遭媒体炮轰

By newsdoug on April 26, 2011

Baidu in the unwanted spotlight I’m hardly a fortune teller, but the recent negative media blitz aimed at Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) and its billionaire founder Robin Li can’t be a good sign for China’s leading Internet search engine. The campaign has been nearly nonstop these last few weeks, with media criticizing both Baidu and Li for unfairly exploiting the works of authors and musicians to enrich himself and add to his already-bulging money pot. (Chinese article) Even the government has stepped in, calling on Baidu to revamp its online literature business to address the grievances. (English article) Baidu and Li have embarked on their own counteroffensive, apologizing repeatedly and saying they plan to address the issue that highlights the growing gap between China’s new wealthy and much poorer ordinary people. Similar campaigns have brought down other business tycoons, including Huang Guangyu, founder of electronics retail giant GOME, who is now in prison for various financial crimes. I doubt Li will see such a drastic turn of fate, but he could face some serious time for “self examination” in the national spotlight in the months ahead.

Bottom line: The recent negative publicity blitz against Baidu and its founder Robin Li will create difficult times for both in the months ahead.

我不会算命，但最近有关百度<BIDU.O>及其创始人李彦宏的负面新闻，对於中国互联网搜索引擎市场的这一龙头企业来说可不是一个好兆头。最近几周，有关百度和李彦宏剥削作家和音乐人以牟利的负面新闻一直不绝于耳。甚至政府都介入了，要求百度整改文库经营模式，以平民愤。百度和李彦宏则做出回应，反复道歉，表示打算解决这个问题。包括国美创始人黄光裕在内的一些商业巨子，就曾在媒体攻势中倒下。虽然估计李彦宏不会有此下场，但未来几个月，他或许得在全国人民的注视下做出一番艰难的“自我检查”。

一句话：近期的负面新闻会让百度和李彦宏接下来几个月的日子不好过。

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