Xinwen Bao
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Xinwen Bao, Issue 1 | |||||||||||
Native name | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 新聞報 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 新闻报 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | News Report | ||||||||||
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| Founded | 17 February 1893 | ||||||||||
| Ceased publication | 1949 | ||||||||||
| Language | Written vernacular Chinese | ||||||||||
| City | Shanghai | ||||||||||
| Country | Republic of China | ||||||||||
| Free online archives | Xinwen Bao at the Internet Archive | ||||||||||
The Xinwen Bao (simplified Chinese: 新闻报; traditional Chinese: 新聞報; lit. 'News Report', also known in Wade-Giles romanization as Hsin Wen Pao) was a Chinese-language newspaper based in Shanghai that was published between 1893 and 1949. Aimed primarily at persons involved in business and commerce, it had a peak circulation of over 150,000 and was distributed throughout the Republic of China. The newspaper had a rivalry with the Shen Bao, another large Shanghai-based periodical.
The Xinwen Bao was established in 1893. Headquartered in one of Shanghai's foreign concessions,[1] the newspaper was established by a consortium of the textile merchant A. W. Danforth, journalist F. F. Ferris, and entrepreneur Zhang Shuhe.[2] As a result of these foreign interests, it had a higher degree of press freedom than most Chinese-language newspapers.[1] The first editor-in-chief was Cai Erkang, who had previously headed the North China Daily News's Chinese-language edition Hubao. Three typesetters were hired from the Hubao's staff. Another nine people were hired as journalists, and Ferris handled translation for the publication.[2]
To prepare for publication, the founders of the Xinwen Bao appealed to their colleagues to submit news from throughout Qing China using private couriers. The first edition was issued on 17 February 1893 – the Lunar New Year, chosen because both the Hubao and its fellow major newspaper, the Shen Bao, were on hiatus.[3] The first three issues were free of charge, with special shipments sent to government offices, large teahouses, and wealthy residents. Open sales of the Xinwen Bao began with its fourth issue.[3]
Soon after its establishment, the Xinwen Bao established a rivalry with the older Shen Bao.[4] Through 1893, batches of newspapers were shipped by paddleboat at midnight. Upon reaching Suzhou, some copies were taken for local readers, while others were sent further afield. This allowed the Xinwen Bao to reach markets outside Shanghai before its competitors.[3] In 1930, the Xinwen Bao established an illustrated pictorial shortly after the Shen Bao had done likewise.[4]
In 1927, when the Kuomintang (KMT) was using abduction to force the purchase of government bonds, the Xinwen Bao published a list of people who had been affected. It was subsequently censored by the Nanking-based government.[5] After Shanghai was occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army, the occupying forces took control over the Xinwen Bao. When Japan surrendered in 1945, the KMT transformed the Xinwen Bao and Shen Bao into semi-official publications.[6] The Xinwen Bao closed in 1949, the same year as the Shen Bao. Following the Shanghai Campaign, the Chinese Communist Party assumed control of the city and closed publications affiliated with the KMT.[7]