Q: Ten years ago, Commonwealth started the trend of specialized economic magazines in Taiwan, being not only extremely successful, but spawning a host of imitators. What's the main reason why financial journals have become the mainstream today?

A: Actually, it is difficult to pigeonhole Commonwealth. We are a broad political/economic periodical, so we have always seen ourselves since the first issue as "social, lifestyle, and economic."

I think the leading role of economic magazines has to do with citizens' needs. In these ten years, Taiwan's per capita income has gone from 2,000 or so US dollars to over 8,000. When economic development reaches a certain stage, economic affairs will have greater weight in the country's fortunes, and greater relevance to people. When we "took the plunge" ten years ago, we were convinced of this idea. Our view was upheld when we had to do two reprints of the first issue.

Also, a key to our success is that we were the first journal to use accessible language, yet do indepth, specialized reports to introduce economic affairs, so that readers could easily accept us.

Q: Ever since its first report on economic policy-makers to the "Ten Year Special Issue" interviews with successful people in society, it seems Commonwealth has always stressed successful, heroic types.

A: This is related to our basic concept--active, forward-looking, and with a broad vision. We have always extolled an active "can-do" problem solving mindset. Our goal is to promote social progress. If you want to progress, it is important to study successful examples. When we do overseas reports, we also focus on special features of the country that are worth learning from.

In other words, there are three functions of the mass media: information, education, and entertainment. We take all three into account, but focus more on the former two. The most precious lesson of studying journalism is the stress on "social responsibility." If you have studied this, you'll never forget that media is a tool of society, and not a profit-making enterprise.

Q: Commonwealth has been very successful in this respect. But the stress in economic journalism is still on success. On the other hand, do readers more readily ignore journals which focus on the unfortunate in society, such as Jen-chien, started up three years ago?

A: I think that our goal is a modernized society. Although this basically means economic growth and enterprise development, at the same time all types of systems should be employed to protect the more unfortunate, such as the handicapped. So over the last two years we have been extolling the social responsibility of business. We want business to pay back society, and help public interest activities. One concrete realization of this is that this year Commonwealth brought together six corporations to sponsor the "Sung Chiang Poetry Park."

As for Jen-chien, Commonwealth strongly supported them. When it was founded, we did a special report introducing them. I think that both of us are concerned about society, but work from different angles. As for its going out of business, that's because of the market. I know many intellectuals read Jen-chien, but perhaps their support was not enough. Also, besides sympathizing with the less fortunate, shouldn't one take a morepositive approach to change things?

Q: Is it because Jen-chien took the "weak side" angle, with appeals to emotion, whereas Commonwealth is "the strong side," with faith in its own capabilities?

A: True, from the beginning we have always stressed rationality and positivism, affirming that hard work will definitely yield results. We have also stressed that changing the status quo is everybody's responsibility, and not just that of the government or the wealthy. This is the "autonomy" or "self-reliance" we have always stressed. As for "the strong side," I wouldn't presume to that, but that every person give every effort and have a positive mindset is essential.

Q: Commonwealth looks at society or the environment from an economic angle. Does this conflict with a purely social or environmental viewpoint?

A: I don't think so. For the country to progress, all aspects--political, educational, cultural, technological--must fit in. One absolutely cannot just depend on the economy. And the closer each area is to every other in speed, the better. If only one item has a breakthrough, at a certain stage there will be serious ill-effects. Thus last year we put out a special issue on education. Many people were surprised, but for us it was natural, because human resources are the roots of economic development, and education is how you cultivate human resources.

Q: These past few years, several literary or philosophical magazines, such as Wen Hsing have closed up. Does this create an imbalance in journals?

A: If a good magazine wants to survive, it must rely on readers and advertising. In this increasingly complex information era, people are tired after a long day at work--especially in Taiwan. It's hard to ask them to read something very serious. I know many people who subscribed to Wen Hsing out of support, but lacked the time or psychological energy to read it, and had to give it up. Those of us who studied mass communications understand that no matter how good or valuable your information, it has to be in an easy to understand format to get readers' support.

In the US, I know many intellectuals don't look at TV or other shallow mass media, but read instead. But in Taiwan, perhaps there are too few of these people, or perhaps it is too concentrated here, and there is less independent, undisturbed free space.

Q: Such serious journals can survive in the US because of the large market, relying only on subscriptions by school or local libraries. But in Taiwan, this possibility does not exist. Should the government help outthese "serious" or "alternative" journals?

A: I support subsidies, but don't think they will help much. This is after all a free competition society. The key is still whether you can "transform" in-depth information into a simple presentation. Maybe I take the journalist's point of view, and stress "communication." Maybe those who do cultural journals are more inclined to express their own conceptsthan to "converse" with readers.

Q: Lately, with the Gulf War, many wondered if Taiwan has its own Chinese perspective on the news. What do you think?

A: We should, but it seems most do not have a Chinese viewpoint. But you shouldn't have a Chinese view just for its own sake, it should be natural. First, you should have an ineradicable influence of Chinese history and culture in your blood, and understand your own culture. Second, you have to understand the current situation. You have to accept that Taiwan has certain objective and subjective limitations. The last is you must understand future development and future goals. That means in particular you must know what, in the final analysis, is really good for us. A reporter with specialized training and learning should be able to analyze and make judgements, and to be thinking at all times, in order to have a long term outlook that relatively suits the views commonly held by people in Taiwan.

[Picture Caption]

"Positive, far sighted, comprehensive"--that's the best description ofYin Yun-peng. (photo by Vincent Chang)