Mojing Sibo
| File:Mojingsibo.png | |
| Type | Newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | The Mojing Sibo Company |
| Publisher | Han Kuojing |
| Editor | Lin Da |
| Founded | NMR 2241 |
| Political alignment | Center to center-right |
| Language | Namorese, English |
| Headquarters | Mojing |
| Circulation | 2,357,424 |
The Mojing Sibo (Namorese: Моджинг Сибо) is a Namorese broadsheet newspaper. Founded in NMR 2241, it is the oldest newspaper in Namor.
The paper has had a reputation of covering news from a liberal perspective; during the last years of the Antelopian Dynasty, it supported a constitutional monarchy while advocating for domestic reforms. During the Republican era, it favored the Liberal Democrats over the Conservatives, but it was critical of the Republican government's crackdown on Liberationists, which led to a shakeup that saw the forced removal of several writers. Under the Liberationists, The Mojing Sibo endorsed democratic reforms, making it a popular newspaper among supporters of the opposition.
Presently, The Mojing Sibo is the second largest newspaper in Namor by circulation, after The Liberator.
Ownership
When it was first published in NMR 2241, the Mojing Sibo was controlled by Vinh An, an Antelopian who was a blood relative of the imperial family. Vinh retained control over the paper until after the Double Fourth Revolution, when he was among the Antelopian sympathizers who were arrested and executed by revolutionary authorities. Han Chia, a revolutionary who took part in the Mojing uprising, offered to own the newspaper. He established the Mojing Sibo Company which was run by his family.
Han Chia died in NMR 2270, and his brother, Han Jin, took over as publisher. He relinquished control of the paper to the Choreans during the Second Great War and in turn received compensation from the Chorean government. In NMR 2284, he retook control of the Mojing Sibo. In NMR 2288 Jin died, and the paper was handed to his eldest son, Han Bei. Bei owned the paper until he died in NMR 2333. Since then, Bei's son, Han Kuojing, is the publisher of the Mojing Sibo.
Availability
Despite its name, the Mojing Sibo is nowadays targeted at readers across Namor. There is a local edition directed at readers in the Mojing metropolitan area called the "Metropolitan Edition." This edition contains the "Musings from Mojing" section which is not featured in national editions of the paper.
Coverage issues
Political leanings in reporting
The Mojing Sibo's editors state that their reporters are independent and impartial. "When we report, we do not report from anywhere in the political spectrum."
A study conducted by Li Lin and Wen Ru found that the paper tends to have right-leaning political views, favoring the New Democrats over Namorese orthodox leftist parties. The study stated that "compared to other news organizations, the Mojing Sibo has more cosmopolitan elements in its reports...a less nationalistic alternative to The Liberator." On the other hand, some accuse the Mojing Sibo of being pro-leftist. It has endorsed political candidates from the Democratic Socialists, Liberationists and the New Democrats.
Interruptions
The Mojing Sibo stopped publishing a few times due to interruptions caused by external factors.
- April 10 - 23, NMR 2250 - In the aftermath of the Double Fourth Revolution, Republican forces seized the headquarters of the Mojing Sibo. Publishing resumed when the paper fell into the hands of the Han family.
- November 12 - 27, NMR 2268 - Republican authorities under the command of Nie Natan forced the paper to close as they ransacked Mojing to arrest suspected dissidents. The Mojing Sibo was investigated over suspicions that some of its writers were part or full-time members of the Liberationist Party. Finally, in November 27, the paper was re-opened after five writers and an editor were jailed.
- January 18 - March 20, NMR 2275 - Imperial Chorean forces occupied Mojing and shut all newspapers down. The Mojing Sibo was under the control of the Chorean military by the time it returned to publishing.
- May 13, NMR 2306 - March 28, NMR 2312 - The longest and last time the Mojing Sibo was forced to stop publishing due to political reasons. Editor Han Bei was attacked by the Liberationist Party for "opposing the party line" in the onset of the Green Fever, and the paper was shut down in response to the "general masses' condemnation" of it as an "elite source." The paper remained closed for nearly six years before Yunglang Antelope issued a decree ordering the Green Youth Organization to release Han from custody and reopen the Mojing Sibo.