The Newspaper Publication Dilemma Of The Intellectual In Late Qing Period

In the Late Qing Period, newspaper as a modern medium spreads into China along with the western civilization. The intellectuals use the newspaper to discuss national affairs, express their opinions, by which they hope to influence the government in politics. On the one hand they introduce western knowledge into China, link up inside and outside information, and break people's unenlightened condition, on the other hand they elaborates personal opinions, guide public opinions, and put the discussion in the news. Their actions indicate Chinese intellectuals have got intense national consciousness and modern public opinion consciousness.Among this kind of newspapers, Shiwubao, planed by Kang Youwei, whose editor-in-chief is Liang Qichao ,is nether the first one, nor the only one, but it is popular although the country, impels the first newspaper publishing high tide in modern China. This newspaper's influence is wide, while Liang Qichao's political comment article has represented the intellectuals' earnest attention to the reality at that time..However, under the modern China's system, managing such kind of newspaper is not a easy job, because of the imprisonment of political system, the lack of laws and regulations, the poor economic condition, the insufficient system of management, as well as the restriction of social education level. These factors all limit the newspaper's development, and sometimes even threaten the newspaper's life.At the beginning Shiwubao is supported by government officer like Zhang Zhidong, Huang Zunxian, but inevitably fell into the above all sorts of difficult positions in the afterwards developing process, finally encountered the destiny of defeat. This paper takes Shiwubao as en example to analyzes the difficult positions the intellectuals meet when they manage a newspaper in late Qing Period from four aspects: the political environment, the economic condition, the management system and the social education level.Part one analyzes the political environment Shiwubao faces, mainly obtains from three aspects: First, under the despotic system there is no speech freedom , the publication right to speak is still grasped in the ruling class's hand. Second, the intellectuals don't understand politics, abused by the politician. Third, laws and regulations for publication are newly decided, but it provides too much control than effective safeguard for the newspaper.Part two analyzes the economic condition Shiwubao suffers, which mainly includes four contents: First, newspapers like Shiwubao depend on donation, so the financial fund is unstable. Second, the management method is so improper that the newspaper can't survive in the market competition. Third, the intellectuals traditionally pay more attention to righteousness than money.Part three analyzes the management difficulties Shiwubao faces, mainly includes two points. First, there is contradiction in the manager team. Second, the cooperation in the newspaper office is not so good, so the efficiency is quite low.The fourth part analyzes the bad functions low social education level commits to the development of intellectual newspaper, mainly includes two points. First, people's reading custom and reading interest influence newspaper's survival and development. Second, the condition of education and the level of civilization have limited the dissemination scope of Shiwubao.