China Release - The Practical Secrets of a Media's Journey

Author: Tan Junbo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This is a substantial textbook on distribution as well as an accessible and easy-to-understand practical guide on distribution. The author, Tan Junbo, is one of the earliest pioneers and founders of research in newspaper distribution studies in China. He has consistently adhered to the social philosophy of "letting actioners think and thinkers act" in this field, dedicated to establishing the research framework and theoretical system of Chinese newspaper distribution studies. He has collected a vast amount of first-hand materials and finally compiled this monumental work that represents the culmination of his research on newspaper distribution. The book comprehensively records the author and his team's battles and campaigns across the country, as well as the dilemmas and frustrations faced by professional managers in China, reflecting from the side the author's inner journey over the years.
Uniform support for "self-operation": When summarizing the successful experience of self-operated distribution of Southern Daily, President Zhong pointed out that two conditions are necessary for self-operated distribution. , support from the Provincial Party Committee. Because the self-operated distribution of provincial newspapers is a very large, complex, far-reaching, and risky systematic project. Without the firm support of the Provincial Party Committee, the plan for self-operated distribution would be difficult to pass and gain approval. Secondly, during implementation, we would encounter resistance and obstacles from various sides, including the post and telecommunications system and society. Additionally, in the process of implementing self-operated distribution, we would inevitably face many difficulties, setbacks, and even localized failures. At such times, without the consistent support of the Provincial Party Committee, confidence could easily waver.
In 1996, during a standing committee meeting, when Southern Daily journalists read that postal distribution constrained distribution timeliness and development was relatively difficult, then Provincial Party Secretary Xie Fei took the initiative to suggest: "I hear that many newspapers across the country have adopted self-operated distribution and are doing very well. Can Southern Daily also consider self-operated distribution?" After the meeting, Standing Committee Member and Minister of Propaganda Yu Youjun immediately met with the newspaper's leadership to discuss how to seize the opportunity to implement the self-operated distribution plan. At that time, the Propaganda Department of the Provincial Party Committee had envisioned establishing the Lingnan Newspaper Distribution Corporation to connect several major newspapers across the province and link with municipal and county newspapers, aiming to transform postal distribution into self-operated distribution in one go. They even designated a vice minister and President Zhong as the company's general managers. Later, because the conditions for a one-step transformation across the province were not yet mature, the plan was temporarily shelved.
By 1997, when Southern Daily proposed leading the way in self-operated distribution, the Propaganda Department immediately expressed full support. On February 23, 1998, Southern Daily formally submitted a report to the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Party Secretariat requesting self-operated distribution, which was quickly approved. Just as we were vigorously preparing for the self-operated distribution, Comrade Xie Fei was transferred to the central government, and Comrade Li Changchun became the new Provincial Party Secretary. When relevant departments reported to Comrade Li about the situation of Southern Daily implementing self-operated distribution, he also clearly stated his support for Southern Daily's reform efforts.
On August 18, 1998, the General Office of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee issued a special document titled "Notice on Well-Prepared Distribution Work for Southern Daily" (No. 66 of the General Office of the Provincial Party Committee), requiring all levels of Party, government, departments, and relevant units across the province to support Southern Daily's self-operated distribution with a reform-supportive attitude. The document included the following passage: "The Southern Daily is an important platform for the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government to guide work across the province. Improving the distribution of Southern Daily is a political task." "The implementation of self-operated distribution by Southern Daily is a major reform in newspaper distribution work, reflecting the requirements of transitioning from a planned economy to a socialist market economy; it is also an important measure to further enhance the competitiveness of Party newspapers. All levels of Party, government, press and publication departments, public security, traffic police, urban management, and cultural departments should enthusiastically support the self-operated distribution of Southern Daily."
The notice explicitly required all levels of Party, government, mass organizations, public institutions, rural management areas, and other units that subscribe to newspapers with public funds to subscribe to Southern Daily.