Also of note was the influence of owners over the editorial content of media they acquire. After Tsai Eng-Meng, a businessman with significant commercial interests in the PRC purchased the China Times Group in November 2008, a series of incidents in 2009—including Tsai’s own comments to the media—pointed to a subsequent change in editorial policy in the direction of softening criticism of the Ma administration, Beijing, or improvements in cross-strait ties. This also raised concerns over the potential direct or indirect influence of the Chinese government on free expression in Taiwan.