The New Express editorial board was reshuffled on Friday after the arrest of one of its reporters on Wednesday.

Li Yihang, president and editor-in-chief of the Guangzhou-based newspaper and its deputy editor-in-chief Ma Dongjin were dismissed by Yangcheng Evening News Group, which owns the paper, on Friday afternoon.

The group announced that it appointed Sun Xuan, a member of the editorial committee of Yangcheng Evening News, as the new president and editor-in-chief of New Express.

Chen Yongzhou, a New Express reporter had confessed to accepting bribes for fabricating more than a dozen stories about Changsha-based Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology.

Chen was arrested on Wednesday on allegations of damaging the company's reputation by writing articles he knew to be false.

His press certificate was revoked by the Guangdong provincial press regulator on Thursday.

The regulator said on Thursday that it will investigate and overhaul the management of New Express.