Beijing launches English weekly

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