The head of China's state broadcaster has been replaced, a state news agency said Sunday, amid a high-level investigation into a hotel fire in the complex housing the broadcaster's headquarters.
The official Xinhua News Agency said in a brief report Sunday that the head of CCTV, Zhao Huayong, 61, was replaced because he had reached the official retirement age of 60.
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The change at CCTV follows embarrassment and economic loss from the fire at the nearly completed Mandarin Oriental Hotel next to CCTV's iconic headquarters, which was set off by an illegal fireworks display arranged and paid for by CCTV to mark the end of the Lunar New Year festivities. The February blaze killed one firefighter and completely gutted the 5 billion yuan ($731 million) hotel.
Xinhua's report did not mention the fire.
The disaster prompted mocking from some Chinese who resent CCTV for producing dull propaganda-style programming while enjoying a monopoly on nationwide broadcasting. The company also has drawn jeers for spending lavishly on grandiose vanity projects — such as the futuristic new headquarters complex, designed by Dutch architects Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren.
In April, China's Cabinet ordered a new investigation into the hotel fire, indicating a high level of political sensitivity surrounding the February blaze. Such Cabinet investigations are usually reserved for major catastrophes causing huge loss of life.
A dozen people were formally arrested in March in connection with the fire, including the former head of CCTV's construction bureau, Xu Wei. News reports have alleged that he ordered the powerful pyrotechnics be used, while ignoring safety warnings.
Xinhua says Zhao's replacement is Jiao Li, the 54-year-old vice minister for the propaganda department of the Communist Party's powerful Central Committee.