With U.S. Consulate's Help, Magazine "Citizen"

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 027725

SIPDIS

USPACOM FOR FPA

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PGOV CH
SUBJECT: With U.S. Consulate's Help, Magazine "Citizen"
Explores Foreign Sources of Funds

Ref: A) GUANGZHOU 20890; B) GUANGZHOU 18191

(U) This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please
handle accordingly.


1. (SBU) Summary: In a meeting between a representative of
the American philanthropy group the Rockefeller Brothers
Fund and the publisher of the magazine "Citizen," arranged
by the Consulate, methods for raising money for "Citizen"
were discussed. The Rockefeller representative, without
making any firm commitments, agreed to continue working with
"Citizen" to help the magazine find funding opportunities.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) On August 7 Econ/Pol Intern arranged a meeting
between a Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) Representative,
Hao Yuanwen, the publisher of the magazine "Citizen"
("Shimin"),and Yao Yuanguang, Hao's assistant. The purpose
of the meeting was to help "Citizen"'s managers learn how to
take a more business-oriented approach to running a
magazine. In previous meetings between Congenoffs, Hao, and
Yao, Congenoffs agreed to explore funding opportunities for
a magazine such as "Citizen," which has funding only until
the end of 2006 (refs A and B). Congenoffs subsequently
arranged this meeting with the RBF, which, in its China
program, has made south China its focus.


3. (SBU) After the RBF representative gave an introduction
about the RBF, and Hao and Yao gave an introduction about
"Citizen," the discussion turned to optimal ways for the
magazine to obtain funds. Yao suggested that the magazine
should attempt to expand to overseas Chinese communities,
especially in the US and Canada, in an effort to gain their
support. The RBF representative urged Yao to reconsider
this idea, cautioning him that the magazine might get
involved in other sorts of political issues that are not
what the magazine's publisher has in mind. In addition, the
amount of funding from overseas Chinese might not be very
substantial.


4. (SBU) The RBF representative suggested that "Citizen"
remain focused on China, at most expanding into Hong Kong
and Macao. She said that the magazine's priority should be
finding suitable advertisers, since presently it gets almost
all its money from private donations. Hao and Yao, who have
little experience in the magazine business, appeared to find
advice on how to find advertisers useful.


5. (SBU) The RBF representative indicated that the RBF would
likely support one issue as a first step, especially if the
issue's main focus has to do with the environment and small
communities, which is of special interest to the RBF. She
also said she would explore other funding opportunities for
the magazine.

Comment
--------------

6. (SBU) During the meeting, Hao and Yao seemed to be
primarily concerned with looking for donors and
philanthropists to help fund the magazine, especially from
abroad. The RBF representative's suggestion that a more
long-term solution is to find solid and consistent
advertisers seemed more sensible. Unfortunately, Hao and
Yao, though driven by a commendable ideology, do not have
much experience in the magazine business. It is unclear
whether they will be able to keep afloat in the competitive
magazine industry. End comment.

MARTIN