新闻有偿行为的刑事责任辨析

Analysis of the Criminal Liability of the Payoff Journalism

损害商业信誉、商品声誉的新闻有偿行为被追究刑事责任应满足的要件为:媒体舆论是否充当商业不正当竞争工具;毁损声誉的结果是否出于直接故意;侵害行为所担之责是否符合"罚当其过"。记者有偿新闻行为构成"敲诈勒索罪"或"受贿罪",虽然司法实践对敲诈勒索罪、受贿罪的法律适用存在可替换性,但适用受贿罪的案件比例增多,表明法律机关打击有偿新闻的力度增加。"为他人谋取利益"是非法收受他人财物构成"受贿罪"的必备要件,而非主动索贿构成"受贿罪"的要件。正面典型报道中的交易行为属非索贿型受贿罪,不具备"为他人谋取利益"构成条件,如何准确适用法律成为新的问题。

The payoff journalism claimed for criminal liabilities when damaging to the reputation of the business and products should meet the following requirements： whether the media opinion is a commercial tool for the unfair competition; whether the result of damage to the reputation is out of the direct intent; whether the responsibility of infringement is consistent with the penalty. The payoff journalist can consti- tute the crime of ＂extortion＂ or ＂bribery＂. Although the judicial practice is alternative of extortion and bribery, the application cases of bribery have been increased, which indicate the legal authorities＂ determi- nation to fight the payoff journalism. The essential element of the bribery crime is seeking benefits for oth- ers rather than extorting bribes initiatively. Therefore it is hard to make the applicable law for the trading behaviors behind the positive reports which can be regarded as the non-extorting bribery crime.