 | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | SPH Media |
| Publisher | SPH Media |
| Editor | Goh Sin Teck |
| Founded | 16 March 1983; 42 years ago (1983-03-16) (merger between the Singaporean editions ofNanyang Siang Pau andSin Chew Jit Poh) (15,351 issues) |
| Language | Chinese |
| Headquarters | Toa Payoh,Singapore |
| Circulation | 136,900 (Print+Digital as of 2021)[1] |
| Website | www |
Nanyang Sin-Chew Lianhe Zaobao,[a] commonly abbreviated asLianhe Zaobao,[b] is the largestSingaporeanChinese-language newspaper with a daily circulation of about 136,900 (print and digital) as of 2021.[2] Published bySPH Media (formerlySingapore Press Holdings), it was formed on 16 March 1983 as a result of a merger between the Singaporean editions ofNanyang Siang Pau andSin Chew Jit Poh, two of Singapore's oldest Chinese newspapers.[3]
The paper establishes itself as abroadsheet with local news coverage, while international news tend to be largely centred on theEast Asia region, with a section dedicated toChina.Zaobao has anEast Asian correspondent network spanningBeijing,Chongqing,Shanghai,Guangzhou,Hong Kong,Taipei,Seoul andTokyo. It is SPH's flagship Chinese daily and the only Chinese-language daily in Singapore.[4]Lianhe Zaobao is the only Chinese-language overseas newspaper which can be purchased in major cities of mainland China.[4] As with all Chinese-language publications currently based in Singapore, the paper is printed inSimplified Chinese.
In 1974, after theNewspaper and Printing Presses Act was passed in Singapore, the Singapore branch ofSin Chew Jit Poh was reorganised into a public entity under the name Sin Chew Jit Poh (Singapore), while the Singapore edition ofNanyang Siang Pau became owned by Nanyang Press Singapore.[5] The two Chinese broadsheets in Singapore merged in March 1983 in anticipation of the impending falling readership, due to English being taught as first language in Singaporean schools.[6] The merger led to the formation of Singapore News and Publications, which published the morning paperLianhe Zaobao as well as the evening paperLianhe Wanbao.Lianhe Zaobao was the most read newspaper in Singapore among all English and Chinese newspapers, according to a survey conducted by Survey Research Singapore in 1983, with a readership of 689,000 on weekdays and 743,000 on Sundays.[7] On 4 August 1984, the company merged with The Straits Times Press Group and Times Publishing Berhad to form Singapore Press Holdings.[8]
From 8 September 2016, the portal also presents news from two other Singapore Press Holdings Chinese-language newspapers,Lianhe Wanbao andShin Min Daily News.[9] According toThe Washington Post, "Zaobao's combined print and digital circulation in Singapore fell from 187,900 in 2015 to 144,000 in 2020, according to company filings."[4]
According to a 2021 study from theReuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, the paper has a weekly offline reach of 8% and online reach of 7% in Singapore.[10]
Zaobao is regarded as pro-Beijing byWestern media outlets.[4][11] The newspaper has included articles from pro-Beijing sources such asPeople's Daily,[12]HK01,Ming Pao,Global Times,[13]China Times andUnited Daily News.[14] It is one of the few foreign newspapers allowed in China, where allmedia is tightly controlled and contentcensored.[15] According toRadio Free Asia, content about the1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre has been censored from theZaobao website when accessed from Hong Kong.[16]
A 2019 study by Scotland-based researcher Daniel Hammond found thatZaobao played the role of "China’s critical friend in Southeast Asia", using the region as a means to deliver its concerns and criticisms of the country's actions such as on theSouth China Sea, while covering theChina-Singapore relationship in an overwhelmingly positive manner.[17]
In April 2021,Zaobao renamed its "Greater China" section, which coversTaiwan, to simply "China."[15] In December 2021,Zaobao interviewedPeng Shuai following herdisappearance. The interview, which critics labeled as scripted, generated criticisms of the newspaper.[18][11]
In July 2023,The Washington Post reported that the paper had taken a more pro-Beijing stance by creating a China-specific version of the website to avoid having its website blocked in China.[4]Zaobao issued a rebuttal in response to theWaPo article, stressing that it maintained journalistic neutrality and independence.[14] Singapore's ambassador to the USLui Tuck Yew also responded by saying that in his former role as Singaporean Ambassador to China, he often heardZaobao’s readers of various nationalities affirm the paper’s balanced coverage and uniquely Singaporean viewpoints, adding that it was "misguided for American news outlets to expectZaobao to resemble the Washington Post, or for Singapore to follow either the United States or China."[19][20]
At the September 2023 centennial celebration of the newspaper, Prime Minister of SingaporeLee Hsien Loong said he was "heartened thatZaobao has been unwavering in its principles, and has remained independent and objective in its news reporting."[21] He added that when publishing articles by foreign contributors, "Zaobao should also ensure that its readers are aware who these writers are speaking for and recognise that these views do not represent Zaobao’s stance."[22][non-primary source needed]
The paper is published daily by SPH and usually hits newsstands and homes by 5 am local time.Zaobao is currently published in three segments. The first comprises breaking news (焦点新闻) and local news underZaobaoSINGAPORE (早报新加坡). The second comprisesZaobaoChina (早报中国), the sports section (早报体育),obituaries, the daily editorial, commentaries, letters to the press, other international news from theASEAN, followed by a finance sectionZaobaoBUSINESS (早报财经). A supplementary lifestyle, arts and entertainment segment is namedFukan (副刊) withclassified advertising at the back of that segment.[citation needed]
The Sunday edition is titledzbSunday (早报星期天), with atabloid-format lifestyle supplement pull-outzbWeekly (早报周刊).[citation needed]
The newspaper is available in Southeast Asia, China, Hong Kong as well as organisations such as theUnited Nations. The online version of the paperZaobao.com was launched in August 1995 under the name of "Lianhe Zaobao Online". It serves as a news portal drawing news not just from theLianhe Zaobao, but also from other Chinese newspapers in the region. A large proportion ofLianhe Zaobao's daily readership is derived from China, with the official website cites a monthly online readership of 4 million originating from China.[23]
Zaobao.com is targeted at audiences inGreater China, while Zaobao.sg (re-launched in September 2016) targets local and non-China readers.[24] In 2019,Lianhe Zaobao launched an English-language e-magazine called ThinkChina.[25]
ZBSchools.sg is an online portal hosting several publications targeted at students such as zbCOMMA (早报逗号), Thumbs Up (大拇指), Thumbs Up Junior (小拇指) and Thumbs Up Little Junior (小小拇指). zbCOMMA is targeted at secondary school students, Thumbs Up at upper primary students, Thumbs Up Junior at lower primary students and Thumbs Up Little Junior at kindergarten students.[citation needed]
zbCOMMA used to be known as Friday Weekly (星期5周报) before its revamp on 7 January 2009. It consists of follow-ups on news on Lianhe Zaobao, articles written by Zaobao reporters and blurbs for Zaobao news that serve to connect students with Zaobao.[26]
TheZaobao online website is occasionally blocked in mainland China, or has its posts removed on Sina Weibo.[27] In 2009, theZaobao website was temporarily blocked in China, analysts in China believed it was likely related to an articleLianhe Zaobao ran headlined "Cyber Crackdown in China Angers Netizens" which sparked the temporary ban, as discourse against the Chinese government iscensored.[28] The paper was again reportedly blocked in 2017 with no official reasons cited.[29]
Lianhe Zaobao is read in mainland China and has in recent years been known for its pro-Beijing coverage.
In AprilLianhe Zaobao, a Chinese-language Singaporean newspaper, renamed its "Greater China" section (covering China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) simply "China", reflecting China's claim that Taiwan is its territory. It is one of the few foreign newspapers which are allowed to circulate in China.
In the use of the terms "South China Sea" and "development", the stories addressing Southeast Asia were much more varied and included stories that were critical of China's role in the region, as well as highlighting the problem of the China threat, explaining and criticising the involvement of the US, and raising concerns about the behaviour of other states. In contrast, the stories regarding "China and Singapore" were overwhelmingly positive and focused on economic ties, political links, and personal stories which brought China and Singapore together. [...] in this specific case, Singapore's press does act out the role of China's critical friend in Southeast Asia, and uses the region as a means to deliver its concerns and criticisms regarding China's actions.
When publishing articles or commentaries by foreign contributors, Zaobao should also ensure that its readers are aware who these writers are speaking for and recognise that these views do not represent Zaobao's stance. Otherwise, readers may question if Zaobao has lost its independence or is choosing sides. [...] Some say that Zaobao supports China's position. While others say that Zaobao leans towards the United States.
(in Chinese)| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |