The new Web site, which is to be known as Taiwan Today, will go live June 1. The GIO’s bold foray into the digital era is designed to objectively present the various sides of Taiwan’s culture, society and people to a massive worldwide English-speaking readership.
Chang Chung-jen, director of the GIO’s Department of Compilation and Translation, said the decision to end TJ reflects today’s changing media environment. “Times change and the Internet is a medium that has opened up opportunities,” he said. “This initiative will allow us to provide an even better service to our online audience. By offering timely content reflecting the major issues of the day, the GIO is broadening its scope of news coverage and information provision.”
Frank Wang, deputy director of the GIO’s Department of Compilation and Translation, explained that despite TJ’s comprehensive and balanced coverage, it remains a government publication and as a result, some will always question its objectivity. “The issues reported by the mainstream print media reflect the major concerns of the people in a society,” he said. “If these stories are translated and read by foreigners, then we believe this is a good way of keeping them abreast of developments in Taiwan.”
The GIO decision brings the curtain down on its weekly newspaper that was first published in March 1964 as Free China Weekly. In January 1984, it was renamed Free China Journal and then 16 years later, Taipei Journal. The publication changed for the final time to Taiwan Journal in March 2003.
Long considered an integral part of the island’s English-language print media landscape, TJ has proven an invaluable resource to those seeking Taiwan-related international, national, economic and cultural news. Published simultaneously in Taipei and Los Angeles, TJ reaches more than 160 countries and territories around the globe.
For Susan Yu, editor in chief of TJ and TT, halting current operations has not been easy due to her emotional attachment to the publication. “TJ was where I started work for the GIO and practically half my career has been spent with the paper in various roles,” she said.
“But in saying this, some changes to the present format are warranted. The readers of today are not the readers of yesterday. At a time when news can turn around in days or even hours, timely, diverse and niche information is what people want.”
“This relaunch is about building on the strong foundations TJ has in place, growing our online market and extending the reach of Taiwan to the world,” Yu said. “In keeping the paper’s current features, we will continue catering to existing readers while giving TT even greater appeal.”
Andrew Wiseman, an associate professor of language at Cedarville University in the United States and 10-year TJ subscriber, said the paper has been “enormously informative” over the years and was looking forward to the new format designed with the user of today in mind. “TJ is an institution when it comes to reporting on Taiwan, but the new medium will be even better,” he said. “Readers can get the quick stories they crave while also enjoying long-form traditional reporting as limitation on space is no longer an issue.”
With plans in the pipeline for TT to become a dynamic multimedia Web site through offering audiovisual content, Yu believes TJ’s large community of international readers can look forward to accessing even more information about Taiwan. “No local English-language news media that I know of has attempted to provide this service on such a scale,” she said.
Write to Taiwan Journal at tj@mail.gio.gov.tw