A Study On Early Stage Shen Bao’s Relationship With The Readers

More than141years ago, Shen Bao newspaper was founded in late Qing dynasty when China faced serious economical and social crisis both at home and abroad, and the social conflict was complicated and sharp. Shen Bao, originally with the purpose of making profit, come out at the time when the world information broadcasting was slow and the communicating platforms were laking. Thus Shen Bao became popular soon in old Shanghai due to its unique strategy. In order to survive and develop in fierce competition, early stage Shen bao caters for readers reading intention and interests with low reading difficulty and high speed transmission of information. Meanwhile, it made efforts to do well in focusing the current events, being informative and effective, widening the publishing channels and harmonizing the realationship with the readers, which made it beaten its peer competitiors the vetern New Shanhai Newspaper and some new stars such as Hui Bao and Yi Bao newspaper, making it become the first important newpaoper in Shanghai of that time.By intensively studying of Shen Bao’s version from1872-1882, the author gradually understand the concept of Shen Bao:the reader is God, responsibility is mission; good balance between rightousness and interests and its journiststic professional standpoint:left sitting on the fence, not prejuidiced, record what is heard. In the thesis, with the help of rich first-hand materials, the author illustrates Shen’s various efforts to win the market, giving some enlightment and reflection to today’s Mass Media developemt. The thesis is divided into seven parts. Firstly the author defines the four kinds of readership:"Civilian, Businessman, Official, Scholars" and shows the effective measures Shen Bao took to attract readers. Then the author expoundes Shen Bao’s efforts in putting readrs first, improving the news service, never spreading rumors, justifying the style and strengthen the varities of discussion in political problems.Also in this part the author shows Shen Bao’s successful strategies of enlarging the market by balancing the rightousness and intersts. Lastly the author, combining the "Audience"theory drow the conclusion:Shen Bao’s success can give some enlightment to today’s Mass Media.In an era of information, the mass media has transmissed from political Media to commercial one. The former passive readers become the commercial and even the being serviced ones.And therefore, the Mass media should overcome the doctrine of centralization, catering for the readers preference. How to have a space in complex political conflict?How to satisfy the tastes of different layers of readers Concession area? How to establish a strong and harmonious relationship with the cental-part readership? Shen Bao’s ways of managing the newpaper is of great value both in theory and practice.:The exact location of the readers, the managing principles of balancing the rightousness and interests,and the emphasis to improve its publishing capabilities makes it a newspaper with strong professional journalism, which is of great significance to the development of today’s media.For the mass media today which is faced with fierce competition, winning the readers is winning the market and the bright future of its development. To stand out among its peer competitors, the media today must know clearly its major readership, its principle of management, its value orientation, its unique style.Besides, it should make adjustment with the change of readers composement, reading intention and interst-focus, making innovations in contents, management an service.The thesis, combined with old Shanhai’ social culture is based on the rich materials of shen’s urtest, study of Chinese communication journalism and history of Chinese journalism. It aims to present the relationship of Shen Bao and its readers from double dimension, hoping to give enlightment to today’s Shen Bao and readership researchers.