Circulation by Post: Shifting of Newspaper Circulation in Mainland China (1949-1954)

1949年，中共取得對中國大陸的統治權，中華人民共和國建立。數年以後，中國大陸的報紙事業即出現基本而全面性的改變，在發行方面尤其明顯。對於此一跨越歷史、媒體與企業經營管理三個領域的主題，本文以中共建國初期報業發行的歷史發展為主軸，配合媒體產業與企業經營管理上必須的背景說明，呈現1949年時中國報業發行原有的面貌、中共對報業發行的看法與做法，以及經過中共的統治後，中國大陸報業發行產生的徹底改變。國民政府統治時期，中國大陸的報業發行一向被城市中的大型私營報紙經銷商控制，屬於資本主義的原始叢林狀態。中共建國後，為掌握傳播媒體，確保宣傳效果，對報紙的物流系統極為重視，以控制報業發行為要務。在中央主管全國媒體的新聞總署策劃下，推出「郵發合一」政策，由公營報社帶頭裁撤發行部門，並與郵局簽約，將所有發行工作交由郵局辦理。郵發合一實施後，公營報紙全部改為郵局發行，迅速使原有私營之報紙經銷商因代銷報份萎縮而自然消失。迄1954年，中國大陸的報業發行遂進入由郵局辦理，全面被中共掌控的新局，直到1985年才有所改變。對中共建國後報業發行變局的研討，有助於了解「新民主主義」時期中共如何掌控媒體與工商企業。在中國報業史的研究上，亦有助於彌補以往多注重編輯採訪，以致報業銷售與經營管理面清晰度不足之憾。Several years after the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), far-reaching changes to the newspaper industry were mandated. The present study examines the formation of the Communist newspaper circulation system 1949-1954, in light of the newspaper industry and business administration: What was the face of newspaper distribution in China in 1949? What was to be Communist Chinese official policy on newspaper circulation? How did newspaper circulation in China change during early communist rule, etc.? Under the Nationalist Chinese government, newspaper circulation in China was a competitive dog-eat-dog world. It was controlled by large private brokers, so-called "newspaper bullies," in the large urban areas. The PRC brought the circulation of printed matter under absolute control for propaganda purposes. Under the Administration of Journalism plan, the "Circulation by Post" policy was implemented in 1950. Starting with government-owned newspapers, newspaper circulation departments were liquidated. Government post offices ran newspaper circulation. The "Circulation by Post" policy was fully implemented within five years and private brokers died out by 1954, since the income from circulating the few private-owned newspapers tolerated by the authorities was too little to sustain business. From then on, the government post office was the only newspaper circulation agency in mainland China till 1985. The newspaper circulation system in mainland China was changed radically from 1950. This case helps us to understand how commerce and industries were quickly brought under the control of the Communist Chinese government during the "New Democracy" period. Moreover, it is helpful in clarifying some neglected areas in Chinese newspaper history because attention is usually paid to editorials, editing and news-reporting, not to sales and management