Youth Daily Where can you find a reliable supply of fake news? Check any Beijing subway, where fake papers like "Legal Evening News" are sold by hawkers.

The famous Hong Kong pop star and movie actor Andrew Lau can die quite often, if we believe this Youth Daily story (translated by ESWN). It's a nice story because it tells a lot about the way media work in China -- and why sensational stories work so well on the Internet.

Almost every day at train and subway stations in Beijing, teams of hawkers sell the "Legal Evening News" -- a fake newspaper filled with sensational and untrue stories. According to the article, the production of the fake paper is secret and its vendors claim not to know who their supervisors are.

Since Beijing residents now know the trick, the hawkers focus on selling to migrants coming from outside Beijing.

Official news agents deplore the loss of their business. Youth Daily reports: "A Mr. Zhang told us about the 'industry information' that the tabloids yielded better profits. He said: 'We receive Beijing Times at 3.80 RMB and we earn 1.20 RMB. When the weather is warm and there is no rain or snow, we can sell 70-80 copies. That is the bestselling newspaper. We get Legal Evening News and Beijing Evening News at 0.30 RMB and we earn 0.20 RMB. Where's the profit for us? Of course the street vendors are doing better!'"