BEIJING: An English-language weekly newspaper - Beijing Today - has been
launched by the Beijing Youth Daily publishing group, targeting
foreigners who are either residing or travelling in the Chinese
capital.
The city's mayor, Liu Qu, said the paper would help publicise Beijing's
rapid progress to foreign enterprises and travellers in the city.
Media observers said the paper was launched to fill the gap between two
other English-language publications, China Daily and the monthly Welcome
to Beijing. Said Zenith Beijing research director Zoe Tan: "For a weekly
magazine to be presented like a daily is a problem. A weekly format
should include a lot more in-depth reviews since it has more time to
digest what happens day-to-day. The stories covered are pretty much what
readers find in China Daily."
Beijing Today deputy chief editor He Ping Ping said advertising would
form the main revenue stream. "Some of our clients are advertisers in
Beijing Youth Daily and they would like to have advertising in
English."
Media agencies have their doubts about the paper's advertising
appeal.
"Ninety-nine per cent of the clients in China are selling products to
the local Chinese consumers," said Tan. "It is likely to interest
vendors who products appeal to consumers not defined by the spoken
language, for example technology products or services that are likely to
be of interest to expats or transients such as travel services, bars and
restaurants. But these are the same categories that China Daily goes
after."
