Taiwan Today

Taiwan's press has developed rapidly during the last decade as a result of prosperity, increased literacy, improved news coverage and presentation, circulation promotion, and maintenance of free newspapers despite the continuing war with the Chinese Communists. Many newspapers have been transformed from poorly managed, inefficient small properties into large and prosperous enterprises. They are free to publish all the news, including that which is critical of the government, so long as security is not breached. The guiding principle of the government is that an informed public will be both strong and loyal.

Today there are 31 daily newspapers in Taiwan. Sixteen are published in Taipei, the provisional capital of the Republic of China, including two in the English language. The dailies are in other big cities, plus one each on the offshore islands of Kinmen (Quemoy) and Matsu.

The combined circulation exceeds 800,000, an increase of more than 300,000 in a decade. This means one copy for every 15 persons.

Although martial law is in effect in Taiwan, there is no censorship. Newspapers are urged not to publish anything detrimental to public morality, but this is a voluntary prohibition.

In ancient China, there were official bulletins on governmental affairs for circulation among government officials and intellectuals. Western-type newspapers were introduced to China during the 19th century by British missionaries. In 1827, an English-language weekly, the Canton Register, was started for Western traders in southern China. In 1850, the English-language North China Herald was established in Shanghai. After that, other English-language papers were published in Shanghai and other cities. Although these papers were addressed to Westerners, they also attracted many Chinese readers. In 1861, the first Western-style Chinese-language newspaper was published in Shanghai by an American, M.F. Wood.

The development of the Chinese press gained momentum at the· turn of the century when Dr. Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic of China, launched revolutions against the Manchu dynasty. Chinese patriots published newspapers in Tokyo, Honolulu, Manila, Singapore, and other foreign cities urging overseas Chinese to support uprisings against the Manchus.

After the establishment of the Republic of China in 1911, newspapers on the Chinese mainland began to make rapid progress.

Strict Control

During the 1895-1945 Japanese period, all publications in Taiwan were brought under a strict control. At first the Japanese forbade the publication of all Chinese-language newspapers. They permitted Japanese-language papers to carry a few columns in Chinese, but these usually were propaganda materials translated from Japanese. In January, 1932, the Japanese approved the establishment of the Hsin Ming Pao (New People's Daily) on condition that it be published half in Chinese and half in Japanese and that only Japanese nationals be appointed to management and editorial positions. After June 1, 1937, shortly before the Japanese warlords began their massive armed invasion of China, Japanese newspapers in Taiwan discontinued their Chinese-language columns altogether. Only the Hsin Ming Pao, which had a small circulation, continued to print anything in Chinese. Such measures were designed to destroy the national consciousness of the Chinese in Taiwan and strengthen Japan's control.

In 1944, the year before Japan lost the war, there were six Japanese-language newspapers in Taiwan—Taiwan Nichinichi Shimbun and the Konan Shimbun in Taipei, the Taiwan Shimbun in Taichung, the Taiwan Nippo in Tainan, the Takao Shimpo in Kaohsiung, and the Higashi Taiwan Shimpo in Hualien. The Taiwan Nichinichi Shimbun had the largest circulation and was financially independent. The other five received subsidies from the Japanese authorities and sought to compel Chinese household organizations to subscribe. In March, 1944, as the Pacific War increased in violence, the Japanese authorities ordered the six newspapers combined into the Taiwan Shimpo, which was really the Taiwan Nichinichi Shimbun shrunk to tabloid size.

After Japan's surrender in 1945, Taiwan was returned to China. The Taiwan Shimpo became the Chinese-language Shin Sheng Pao (New Life Daily). Other Chinese-language papers were quickly started. As Japan had occupied the island for 50 years, some Chinese could read only Japanese. A few newspapers at first were printed partly in Japanese. After October 25, 1946, the first anniversary of the retrocession of Taiwan to China, only two newspapers continued to publish in Japanese.

Local Newsprint

During Japanese times, only Japanese news agencies had branches on Taiwan. After retrocession, Chinese and foreign news agencies opened offices. Newspapers now are served by such wire services as the Associated Press, United Press International, Reuters, Agence France Presse, Deutsche Presse Agentur of West Germany, Central News Agency of China, and many others.

All newsprint used by newspapers of Taiwan is locally produced. Early in 1950, seeking to cut imports and save foreign exchange, the Chinese government adopted temporary measures restricting the number and size of newspapers. Each daily was limited to not more than one and a half folio sheets. This was expanded to two folio sheets on September 1, 1958. Space problems are partly overcome by using smaller type and by tighter news writing and editing. A standard newspaper page consists of 19 or 20 horizontal columns of approximately 1,000 words each. This is two and a half limes the wordage of an average newspaper page in the United States. In news content, the disparity is even higher because the Chinese language, being monosyllabic, is more concise.

In September, 1965, the United Daily News, Taiwan's largest privately owned newspaper, began Ito use fully automatic typesetting machines. The speed of these machines is about four times faster than hand setting. Other Chinese papers are preparing to install similar equipment.

Airmail Edition

Taipei newspapers have the island's biggest circulations. Some have Sunday supplements including sections on general information, news analysis, entertainment, literature, and stories for children.

The Central Daily News, founded in Nanking in 1927, moved to Taipei in 1949 when the Chinese mainland was seized by the Communists. With its high-speed Goss rotary presses, it has largest circulation and was the first paper to deliver copies to central and southern Taiwan by air. Since 1950 it has issued a four-page lightweight airmail edition that is on sale in New York and other large foreign cities.

The United Daily News was established in 1951 by combining three papers: the Chuan Min Jih Pao, the Min Tsu Pao, and the Economic Times. Since 1964, lit has published overseas editions in Hongkong and Manila.

The Shin Sheng Pao, which began publication in Taipei in October, 1945, was the first paper to appear after the return of Taiwan to Chinese sovereignty. It is partially owned by the Chinese government. Its predecessor, the Taiwan Shimpo, was the only newspaper publishing just before V-J Day.

In 1949, the Shin Sheng Pao started a southern edition in Kaohsiung.

In 1961, the paper was reorganized. The southern edition is now independent and is known as the Taiwan Hsin Wen Pao. Both papers are published under the supervision of the Taiwan Shin Sheng Pao Press Enterprise Corporation.

Specialized Papers

The China Daily News has papers of the same name in both Taipei and Tainan. The Tainan edition was founded in 1946 and the Taipei edition two years later. It emphasizes sports and sponsors athletic contests.

The Chen Hsin Wen Pao specializes in financial and commercial news. It started as a mimeographed sheet in 1950.

Other newspapers serve specific audiences. The Young Warrior Daily and the Ching Chung Pao are for the armed forces. The Mandarin News is unique in using 40 phonetic symbols alongside Chinese characters. It is intended for school children. The Hua Pao is for readers familiar with the Shanghai dialect.

English-language dailies are the China Post and China News. The China Post, a morning paper founded in 1952, distributes the Asia Magazine as a Sunday supplement. The China News, for 11 years a mimeographed paper of 15 or more foolscap sheets, began to print an afternoon paper of one folio sheet in 1960. It was enlarged to one and a half folio sheets in 1965. The Express News is a mimeographed bulletin of the Central News Agency. Starting January 1, 1966, it was issued in the evening as well as the morning.

The following overseas Chinese and foreign newspapers are sold in Taiwan:

Chinese papers from Hongkong: Hongkong Times, Wah Kui Yat Pao, Kung Sheung Daily. News, Kung Sheung Evening News. Sing Tao Jih Pao, the Observatory Review, Shanghai Daily News, Tzu Yu Pao,
Hsin Wen Evening News, and the Hsin Slteng Evening News.

English-language papers from Hongkong: South Cltina Morning Post, Hongkong Tiger Standard, and the China Mail.

English-language papers from Japan: Japan Times, Mainichi Shimbun, and Pacific Stars and Stripes.

Japanese-language paper from Japan: Naigai Times.

English-language paper from the Ryukyus: Okinawa Morning Star.
Chinese-language papers from the Philippines: The Great China Press Daily News, the Fukien Times, and the Kong Li Pao.

English-language paper from the United States: The New York Times.

In 1945, there was only one news agency in Taiwan, a branch office of the Central News Agency (CNA) of Nanking. Keeping pace with the growth of newspapers, news agencies had increased to 28 by 1950 and 43 in 1965.

Agency Expansion

The largest is the CNA, which has bureaus, staff correspondents, and "stringers" in these major cities: New York, Washington, San Francisco, Honolulu, London, Paris, Bonn, Madrid, Rome, Nicosia, Ankara, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Saigon, Hongkong, Macao, Manila, Tokyo, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo, Johannesburg, Leopoldville, Tripoli, and Amman. The CNA has news exchange contracts or agreements with the major foreign news agencies.

Each day CNA files 50,000 words to 16 local newspapers and makes a morsecast of 20,000 words to newspapers outside metropolitan Taipei. For clients in Asia, there are daily facsimile casts to provide CNA bureaus in Tokyo, Manila, Hongkong, and Bangkok with 23,000 words for transmission to overseas Chinese newspapers. Another cast provides 6,000 wards for subscribers in Hongkong. Teleprinters serve Chinese-language newspapers in the United States, Canada, and countries in Latin America. There is a daily morsecast of 2,000 words in English for general foreign interception. A cast begun in 1962 provides 2,000 words in English for CNA bureaus in Europe and DPA in West Germany. CNA also has a photo department distributing pictures to 52 subscribers.

Many Taiwan newspapers have sent reporters to Vietnam to cover the war.

Domestic Service

Principal domestic news agencies are:

The Military Information Service, specializing in military news, youth activities, cultural, and education reports.

The China Union Press, Tatao News Agency, International News Service, Chung Hsing News Agency, and several others supplying news from the mainland and claiming contact with underground sources there.

The Overseas Chinese News Agency and Overseas News Service, serving overseas Chinese newspapers in all parts of the world with mailer copy and photos.

Press photo services include the Photographic News Service, the China News Photo Service, and the Chiao Kwang Photo Service.

The Free China News Syndicate sends feature articles in English, French, and Spanish and photos to newspapers throughout the world.

The King Features Syndicate is represented in Taipei and has several clients for its cartoons and photos.

In addition to domestic and foreign news, the newspapers of Taiwan also publish prose, fairy stories for children, essays, articles translated from foreign languages, knight errant (adventure) stories, and serial love stories in their supplementary sections. As newspaper circulation in Taiwan boomed, there was an early tendency to play up crime news and other sensationalized articles. In a sensational Taipei torso murder case in 1961, some newspapers published unsupported reports and touched off libel charges.

Press Organizations

Leading newspapers .have advertising revenue of more than US$50,000 a month. One or two papers may earn as much as US$75,000. For a time exaggerated medical advertisements were a source of much revenue. In December, 1965, the Taiwan Provincial Government ruled that such advertisements must be screened by government health agencies before publication.

The Newspaper Enterprise Association of the Republic of China was founded in 1955. Its membership consists of the publishers of all newspapers in Taiwan and some in overseas Chinese communities. The Taipei Newspaper Publishers' Association also is active.

The Taipei Journalists Association is a professional organization of editorial staffers and principal executives of newspapers, radio and television stations, and newsreel makers. Its membership exceeds 1,600.

Other professional newsmen's organizations are the News Editors Association of the Republic of China and the Taipei Reporters Association.

To combat yellow journalism, abuses in reporting, and exaggeration or defamation, the Taipei Newspaper Publishers’ Association established the Press Council of Taipei in 1963 to carry out a program of self-discipline. Legal experts and press leaders were invited to become members. The Council is vested with power to make findings in controversial cases involving news media. Its reports are referred to the Publishers' Association for deliberation and action.

Since two cases involving libel charges in 1964, newspapers are increasingly cautious about defamation and personal comment.

Official Briefings

The Chinese government has generally taken reporters and editors into its confidence with regard to important matters. Background briefings are given writers and editors of newspapers, radio, and television. Officials speak off the record and freely. Seminars also have been conducted by government, one on military news and one on news in general.

With the growing maturity of the Chinese press, the self-discipline movement is expected to gain strength and standing. The Press Council has proved it can move into a controversial situation, curb newspaper abuse, and obviate the necessity for government interference.

Several universities and colleges offer courses in journalism. Many young newsmen are graduates.

The National Chengchi University in suburban Taipei has graduate and undergraduate Departments of Journalism. As a part of practical training, students publish a Chinese-language newspaper, the Student News, and an English-language newspaper, the Chengchi Vanguard. A month of internship must be served by all students before graduation.

The Taiwan Provincial Normal University in 1955 established a journalism section in its Department of Social Education.

The Journalism Department of the Political Staff College of the Ministry of National Defense was founded in 1951 to train information officers for the armed forces. In 1960, the training period was extended from two to four years. Students receive military training before beginning their studies.

Seminars Given

The World College of Journalism, originally a vocational school, was established in 1945. It has a well equipped print shop, a radio station, and other facilities.

The newly founded College of Chinese Culture has a Department of Journalism and a Department of Mass Communications. The latter is attached to the night school.

Seminars on journalism are conducted from time to time by press associations and newspapers. Several correspondence schools of journalism also have attracted sizable enrollments. In 1961, the English-language China Post sponsored a six-month seminar on journalism to train about 30 persons selected from among 400 applicants. Many of these trainees are now engaged in journalism. The Post started a similar three-month seminar on February 14, 1966.

Periodicals are also flourishing in Taiwan. Since 1951, the number has increased from 180 to 763. Most are house organs, but some are general magazines.

Periodicals in English include the Free China Review, Vista (pictorial), China Today, Free China and Asia, Taiwan Trade Monthly, and Chinese Culture Quarterly. Magazines published by Chinese nationals abroad are also on sale in Taiwan.