Letter from Alibaba Group to Readers of the South China Morning Post | Business Wire
▻http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151211005302/en/Letter-Alibaba-Group-Readers-South-China-Morning
Internet-Riese Alibaba kauft “South China Morning Post” in Hongkong | heise online
▻http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Internet-Riese-Alibaba-kauft-South-China-Morning-Post-in-Hongkong-3042803.html
Das Blatt hat in den vergangenen Jahren etwas von seiner Bereitschaft verloren, offen über China zu berichten, auch wenn es weiter Stellung bezieht und Themen berichtet, die nicht mit Pekings Linie übereinstimmen", sagte Bob Dietz vom Komitee zum Schutz von Journalisten (CPJ) in New York der dpa. Es werde nicht lange dauern, um zu sehen, in welche Richtung sich das Blatt jetzt entwickelt.
Letter from Alibaba Group
Dear Readers,
By the time you read this, you will have heard the news that Alibaba Group is acquiring the South China Morning Post.
...
Our Vision
Our vision is to grow the readership globally. We believe we can do this because the SCMP, from its base in Hong Kong, is uniquely positioned to report on China with objectivity, depth and insight, a proposition that is in high demand by readers around the English-speaking world – from New York to London to its home in Hong Kong – who care to better understand the world’s second largest economy.
To help achieve our vision, we plan to make the SCMP more readily available. In this spirit, with enough preparation time after we take over operations, the pay wall on SCMP.com will come down, and you will be able to access its content for free on the Internet and on your mobile device.
...
Editorial Independence
Some have suggested that ownership by Alibaba will compromise the SCMP’s editorial independence. This criticism reflects a bias of its own, as if to say newspaper owners must espouse certain views, while those that hold opposing views are “unfit.”
In fact, that is exactly why we think the world needs a plurality of views when it comes to China coverage. China’s rise as an economic power and its importance to world stability is too important for there to be a singular thesis.
In reporting the news, the SCMP will be objective, accurate and fair. This means having the courage to go against conventional wisdom, and taking care to verify stories, check sources and seek all viewpoints. These day-to-day editorial decisions will be driven by editors in the newsroom, not in the corporate boardroom.
It’s humbling to assume the responsibility of ownership of such a storied newspaper. We thank the Kuok family who have been tremendous stewards of your trust; we hope Alibaba will have an opportunity to earn your trust.
Sincerely,
Joseph C. Tsai
Executive Vice Chairman
Alibaba Group Holding Limited
December 11, 2015
