A column in the People's Daily advocates professional journalism amid lax standards in this new media age (excerpts below).

A number of media websites are more interested in titillation than explanation.

That's a natural tendency for the media in a commercial age. Money talks.

That's bad enough but other websites actually fabricate stories. Their goal is to spread malicious gossip regardless of any contradictory facts.

On more than one occasion private companies can be seen to have a hand in this drivel.

In this situation, professional journalism is especially important as the last defense. More media outlets must join the campaign for responsible journalism and guard against vicious gossip.