| The professional organization of journalists is an important part of journalism, which is a point of study the professionalization of journalism and the change of society & history. Therefore, we should not ignore it in the study of history of Chinese journalism. Unfortunately, the academia has not paid enough attention to it. This paper focuses on the professional organizations of journalists in Shanghai from 1921 to 1937. Our purpose is trying to compensate for the lack of relevant research at present.The rise of the professional organizations of journalists in Shanghai can be attributed to the following several reasons. In a general sense, journalists wanted to improve their living conditions and dignity, as well as to ensure the independence of their profession. More importantly than all of that, there were various associations in this modern city, which shaped its unique social and cultural environment. Shanghai Journalist Club (SJC) was established in November 1921. It is the first professional organization of journalists in modern China. Until April 1927, the KMT established Shanghai Journalist Union (SJU), which replaced SJC. Five years later, SJU was reorganized into Shanghai Journalist Association (SJA) in June 1932. The latter was closed after the full-scale Anti-Japanese War broke out.At the micro level, the internal structure of these three organizations was changed from senator to commissioners. Their institutional settings was more complex and perfect, also the scale of leadership was expanding. The power structure has mutated. Continuity and transform were reflected in their organizational management & operation mechanism.The role of the state was strengthened, and then played a significant impact on the function of these organizations. Beiyang Government did not formulate relevant laws, which means SJC was independent from the state, and had a high degree of autonomy.Relied on state corporatism and secret caucus, Nanjing National Government kept SJU and SJA under strict surveillance. Therefore, they have become the tools of control journalists. For the freedom of speech, all of these organizations have chosen nonfeasance. What is worse, SJU and SJA cooperated with the censorship actively, suppressed members'appeal for freedom. None of them have the spirit of freedom.On political issues, SJC maintained the attitude of a spectator, while SJU and SJA could participate in political mobilization or political elections, when the state permit them to do it. Meanwhile, all of them participated in the nationalist movement through different ways. About the social interactions, SJC communicated with foreign counterparts frequently, SJU and SJA were shifting to the domestic. Professional organization of journalists is one part of the social system. There have been collaboration and conflict between these organizations and other groups or individuals. At the meantime, the secret society of Shanghai has invaded these organizations.Their awareness of job security was growing. However, due to their poor execution, many proposals were shelved. These organizations were not monopolistic group, limited number of members, election malpractice, as well as their membership has slumped, all of these have weakened the group cohesion. Therefore, none of them have realized the integration of Shanghai journalists.Based on the above analysis, we could draw a point cautiously:The function of journalist professional organizations on the professionalization of journalism was weak and insignificant. In order to solve this problem, we should change the versatile government model. That means the state governance patter must be transformed from state corporatism to societal corporatism. Professional organizations must have full autonomy and independence, which can activate their potential to promote the professionalization of journalism. In addition, the relationship between the state and the professional organizations of journalists in Shanghai was not adversarial. |
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