Doug Nairne

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Doug Nairne JSMC 6027 March 26, 2003
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• Hong Kongs leading English language newspaper
  since 1903.
• Publicly held company. Majority owner is Kuok
  family from Malaysia.
• International staff from 14 countries. Majority
  are Hong Kong Chinese.
• Editor David Armstrong.

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• Target audience is expats (40 per cent) and
  English-speaking Chinese (60 per cent).
• Caters to professionals.
• Number of expat readers are declining and Chinese
  readers increasing.
• SCMP is virtually unopposed in the market and is
  a highly profitable newspaper.

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Newspaper Circulation
Weekdays
Sunday
1.9


1.1
6.8
0.1
July 98 June 99
July 99 June 00
July 00 June 01
July 98 June 99
July 99 June 00
July 00 June 01
Unaudited
July - Dec
Jan - June
SCMP Group
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Newspaper Readership
SCMP dominates English readership in Hong Kong
000
Source AC Nielsen
SCMP Group
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China and the SCMP

• HK readership stagnant.
• Growing demand for English press in China.
• Growing demand for credible China information
  from abroad.

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China and the SCMP

• Currently
• Restricted circulation
• Censorship
• Web site blocked
• Limited staff

• Future
• Become Chinas national English language
  newspaper
• Move more resources to the mainland

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How do we get there?

• Refocus of coverage away from Hong Kong towards a
  national theme.
• Redesigning paper into metro and national
  section.
• Moving more resources to the mainland.
• Increasing regional coverage of PRD.

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The SCMP Advantage
SCMP
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Mainland China Media

• Informed but censored.
• Lack of credibility at home and abroad.
• Takes direction from Communist Party.
• Often boring.

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Foreign Media

• Skilled journalists with resources.
• Ethnocentric, tending to cover what matters to
  their readers back home.
• On the outside of China looking in.

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HK English Language Media

• Small circulation.
• Commercially uncertain future.
• No China-based correspondents.
• Little international reach.

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HK Chinese media

• Varying level of interest in China.
• Varying level of quality.
• Few have China-based journalists.
• Not accessible to outside world due to language.

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SCMP China Team

• Bureaus in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and
  Guangzhou.
• Stringers in Taipei.
• Nine reporters, two editors and one photographer
  in mainland China.
• Three reporters and one editor in Hong Kong.

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How are we different?
Case study on coverage of Beijing winning the
2008 Olympic Games
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Beijing Awarded 2008 Games

• Looked at July 12-13 coverage of announcement.
• AWSJ, New York Times, Washington Post, Xinhua,
  China Daily and SCMP.
• Searched Factiva and reviewed range of coverage
  looking for themes.

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• AMERICAN CITIES UPBEAT AFTER TORONTO'S
  LOSS07/14/2001Selection of Beijing to stage
  2008 Olympic Games is greeted warmly by American
  cities trying to become Olympic host in 2012,
  including New York, Washington, Tampa, Fla, San
  Francisco and Los Angeles they apparently
  believe that Toronto, distant runner-up to
  Beijing, will not repeat bid in 2012, even though
  Toronto has not ruled that out.
• CHINESE-AMERICAN PRIDE SWELLS AFTER
  DECISION07/14/2001Selection of Beijing to host
  2008 Olympic Games stirs pride among
  Chinese-Americans in New York and across country
  reaction is mixed among Chinese dissidents and
  groups in US that oppose human rights abuses in
  China.

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• BEING THE HOST KEEPS THE PRESSURE ON CHINAGeorge
  Vecsey Sports of The Times column holds
  International Olympic Committee was right to
  award 2008 Summer Games to Beijing, despite
  China's human rights record.
• OLYMPICS NOTEBOOK CHINESE OFFICIALS AVOID TOUGH
  QUESTIONSBeijing officials meet with members of
  news media prior to International Olympic
  Committee vote on host city for 2008 Summer
  Olympics Chinese journalists, in obviously
  rehearsed portion of news conference, ask
  questions pertaining to human rights and
  pollution so officials could give planned
  replies.
• CAN COMMUNISM COMPETE WITH THE OLYMPICS?By
  Zbigniew BrzezinskiZbigniew Brzezinski says he
  supports, with reservations, award of 2008 games
  to Beijing says China games will only accelerate
  demise of Communism

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Observations

• All stories were framed in the political
  ramifications of China getting games.
• Heavy emphasis on human rights issues and
  underlying message that China does not deserve
  the games on merit.
• Focused on the what does it mean for America
  angle.
• Defrosted Cold Warrior ZB to comment on the death
  of communism.

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• Beijing Is Awarded Summer Olympics Despite
  Protests, IOC Selects China for 2008
  GamesMOSCOW, July 13 -- The International
  Olympic Committee decided to send the world's
  largest sporting event to its most populous
  nation for the first time, awarding the 2008
  Summer Games to Beijing today in a politically
  charged vote that IOC members say will help bring
  social change and openness to China.
• 07/13/2001Should the 122-member IOC award the
  2008 Olympics to Beijing? Opponents say sending
  the Games to China would bring honor to the
  nation's Communist regime while ignoring its
  human rights record. But Beijing Olympic
  officials, who gave a news conference today,
  counter by saying it would put the government on
  its best behavior and uplift the country.
• 07/14/2001Games Put China in Glass House For the
  Whole World to See

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Observations

• Stories usually framed around human rights and
  political reform.
• Stories often suggest Chinas leaders are now
  under scrutiny and will have to behave.
• Less ethnocentric than the NYT.
• More balanced than NYT.
• Less coverage than the NYT.

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• 07/12/2001The Asian Wall Street Journal BEIJING
  -- Just ahead of a vote to determine the host
  city for the 2008 Summer Olympics, China's
  usually supercharged propaganda machine has
  slipped quietly into low gear.
• 07/16/2001Olympics Will Put Pressure On China to
  Boost Democracy --- There Will Be Improvements,'
  Chinese Sports Minister Says --- Controversial
  Decision Places IOC Under Greater Scrutiny as
  Members Elect New President Today

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• 07/16/2001Beijing was chosen to host the 2008
  Summer Olympics. The win marks the first time the
  games will be held in the world's most populous
  country. But critics of the decision and of China
  are already raising the specter of a boycott. The
  International Olympic Committee picked the
  Chinese capital over rival bids from Toronto,
  Paris, Istanbul and Osaka.The selection makes
  today's IOC presidential election all the more
  important, because in the years leading up to the
  Games, the winner will become a frontline player
  in geopolitics.

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• 2008 Games The Gold Lining"Does China deserve
  the Olympics?" the answer has to be a resounding
  "Of course not." They don't even "deserve"
  membership in the World Trade Organization,
  especially not in comparison with Taiwan.

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Observations

• Did not report results until July 16.
• Framed all stories in the controversy of
  Beijing as a choice.
• Focused on human rights and democracy issues.
• Compared China to Nazi Germany in 1936
• Did not report on what the games would mean for
  China or Asia outside of the politics.

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• GREAT VICTORY ENDS YEARS OF WAITING.07/14/2001It
  was Beijing's night yesterday in Moscow. As Juan
  Antonio Samaranch, president of the International
  Olympic Committee (IOC), announced Beijing as the
  host for the 2008 summer Olympic Games in the
  World Trade Centre, wild cheers and hearty
  applause broke out to celebrate the first ever
  Olympic Games for the world's most populous
  nation
• A CITY WILD WITH JOY.
• 07/14/2001
• Beijing's streets were crowded with crawling
  cars and jubilant crowds last night as tens of
  thousands of proud Beijingers rushed into the
  midnight cool to celebrate the city's win in the
  bid for the 2008 Olympic Games.

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Observations

• Dealt exclusively with Chinas victory.
• Played up nationalism and positive nature of
  Beijings selection as host city.
• No mention of controversy or why Beijing faced
  opposition.
• Extensive description of celebrations and
  reaction from Chinese ranging from the president
  to people on the street.

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• Olympic Glory for China.MOSCOW, July 13
  (Xinhua) - In a landmark vote of the
  International Olympic Committee on Friday,
  Beijing was selected as the host city for the
  2008 Olympic Games.
• HARBIN, July 13 (Xinhua) - Xingkaihu, a small
  town in China's northeast Heilongjiang Province
  was in explosion of joy when the International
  Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio
  Samaranch announced Beijing as winner of 2008
  Summer Olympic Games."
• MOSCOW, July 13 (Xinhua) - Chinese Vice Premier
  Li Lanqing said here on Friday evening that the
  Chinese government will make every effort to
  ensure a perfect and best 2008 Olympic Games to
  be held in Beijing.

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• Liaison Office of Central Government in HKSAR
  Congratulates HONG KONG, July 13 (Xinhua) -
  Under the wise leadership of the Central
  Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the
  State Council and with the most extensive support
  of the people, Beijing is sure to have the
  capabilities to make the Olympic games an
  exciting event, the message said.
• Kenya Congratulates Beijing for Winning 2008
  Olympics.NAIROBI, July 13 (Xinhua) - Kenya
  expressed warm congratulations to China
  immediately after the Chinese capital city of
  Beijing was declared the winner to host the 2008
  Olympic Games.

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• People's Daily Editorial Hails Beijing's
  Successful Bid.BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) - The
  People's Daily, China's leading newspaper, will
  carry an editorial Saturday that hails Beijing's
  successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games as a
  long cherished dream of the Chinese people coming
  true.
• Tung Hails Beijing's Successful Bid for
  Olympics.HONG KONG, July 13 (Xinhua) - Chief
  Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
  Region Tung Chee Hwa Friday extended
  congratulation on the successful bid by Beijing
  to host the 2008 Olympics.
• HK Newspapers Hail Beijing's Successful Olympics
  Bid.HONG KONG, July 14 (Xinhua) - "Beijing
  wins," "We succeed," " The Chinese win," Hong
  Kong newspapers Saturday morning hailed Beijing's
  successful bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games
  with these colorful headlines on their
  frontpages.
• Ambassador Yang Hails Beijing's Success for 2008
  Olympics. WASHINGTON, July 13 (Xinhua) - Chinese
  ambassador to the United States Yang Jiechi today
  hosted a banquet at the Chinese embassy in
  Washington DC,

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• Tibetans Celebrate Beijing's Successful Olympic
  Bid.LHASA, July 13 (Xinhua) - Beijing's
  successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games has put
  Tibet into a sea of joy and celebrations, as
  people from all walks of life on the world roof
  watching TV rushed out, set off firecrackers and
  danced wildly to share Beijing's good luck.
• Chinese Taipei Congratulates Beijing on Its
  Olympic Bid Victory.HONG KONG, July 13 (Xinhua)
  - The Olympic Committee of Chinese Taipei Friday
  congratulated Beijing for winning the right to
  host the 2008 Olympic Games.  

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Observations

• Filed hundreds of stories in 48 hours reporting
  even the most minute details but missing any real
  news.
• No mention of controversy or reasons for opposing
  Beijings bid.
• Writing and reporting was weak at best.
• Vast majority of articles were little more than
  comical propaganda.

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• Beijing wins Olympics07/14/2001Jubilation swept
  the mainland and Hong Kong yesterday as millions
  of Chinese took to the streets to celebrate
  Beijing's successful bid to host the 2008 Olympic
  Games.
• A unique opportunity for China07/14/2001Robert
  Keatley, EditorBy selecting Beijing as the site
  for the 2008 Olympic Games, the governing
  committee has done the right thing. This gives
  Chinese leaders an unprecedented opportunity to
  demonstrate they belong among the front ranks in
  global affairs, a chance that should - if
  authorities handle it properly - promote better
  understanding of China in the years just ahead.

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• Champagne flows at Kowloon Park07/14/2001Euphori
  a surged through the 2,000-strong crowd that
  gathered in Kowloon Park in front of a giant TV
  screen to hear the result announced live from
  Moscow at 10.20pm.
• Games bid faces rights hurdle07/13/2001The
  issue of China's human rights record dominated
  the final day of public presentations by the five
  cities vying to host the 2008 Olympic Games, to
  be decided by the International Olympic Committee
  (IOC) tonight.

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Observations

• Supported Beijing bid on editorial pages.
• Covered politics, human rights and controversy
  but did not frame story with these issues.
• Looked at Hong Kong angle and reaction from SAR.
• Was not as critical as western press, but not as
  nationalistic as mainland press.

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How does SCMP compare?