The online community has recently been focusing on the different treatment of two people killed by an oncoming car while trying to pull a third person trapped in another vehicle.

Both were recognized as heroes, but only one received front-page media attention. That person was a CCTV journalist, Liu Wei, whose memorial service was held at Beijing's Babaoshan Funeral Home, the main resting place for people who made significant contributions to the country.

The other person, Zeng Qingxiang, was seldom mentioned in news articles related to the accident and Liu's death. His body was quietly sent back to his hometown in Jiangxi Province on Monday. His father died shortly after hearing the news, leaving behind his 70-year-old mother and a son.

The contrast in the treatment of the two heroes has caused netizens to question if the heavy imbalance in Liu's favor is because of her CCTV ties.

"Is there inequality between lives? Why is Zeng ignored? Is it because he's not from well-known CCTV?" one blogger wrote.

A CCTV group has been sent to Jiangxi to console Zeng's family, according to media reports.