Reviving a Time-Honored Tradition

Reviving a Time-Honored Tradition
The Epoch Times newspaper. (Epoch Times)
Jasper Fakkert
5/28/2020
Updated:
9/16/2020

Dear Readers,

Trust in the media is at a record low, and the media landscape is becoming more and more polarized. The Epoch Times is different. we seek to help heal the divide by providing honest and nonpartisan reporting. Our goal is to bring readers accurate information so they can form their own opinions about the most significant topics of our time.

We don’t follow the unhealthy trend of agenda-driven journalism prevalent in today’s media environment.

Instead, we use the principles of Truth and Tradition as our guiding light. We highlight in our reporting the best of humanity, valuable lessons of history and traditions that are beneficial for society.

Why The Epoch Times

When our founder, John Tang, started The Epoch Times in a basement in Atlanta, Georgia, he faced a nearly impossible task.

John’s dream was to build a media company that would be truly independent.

He himself had left communist China following the Tiananmen Square massacre and had enrolled in a postdoctoral program at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

When he saw friends and loved ones in China being persecuted for their religious beliefs, and that the media weren’t covering it, he felt motivated to take action.

As an immigrant, John saw America as a land of opportunity and a place where one can start big things from nothing. So with almost no money and no experience, John set out to create a media company that would become a vital lifeline for tens of millions of Chinese living under communist oppression and censorship.

But our independent reporting came at a price. Ten staff members in China were jailed and sentenced to long prison terms ranging from three to 10 years for charges like “inciting subversion of the state power,” forcing us to work largely underground in China.

Soon after, the English edition of The Epoch Times was launched with the same mission of providing free and independent journalism. While the organization faced constant threats from the Chinese communist party and many financial challenges, John and his team persevered.

In many ways, John’s story is an American success story.

The Epoch Times has now grown to become an international media company that publishes in 23 languages and in 35 countries.

Traditional Journalism

Since its founding, The Epoch Times has always stuck to its core mission of reporting truthfully.

We believe that the cornerstone of a free republic is a truly informed public. That’s why our team of reporters and editors around the world work tirelessly to bring our readers the most accurate reporting.

We don’t see our job as telling you what to think, but rather as presenting you with the facts so that you can make up your own mind.

Many media have resorted to agenda-driven journalism in recent years. The Epoch Times is different because it is free from the influence of any government, corporation or political party.

I hope that you will enjoy The Epoch Times and give it a try for yourself.

Jasper Fakkert Editor-in-chief, U.S. editions
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Jasper Fakkert is the Editor-in-chief of the U.S. editions of The Epoch Times. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Science and a Master's degree in Journalism. Twitter: @JasperFakkert
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