地方新聞的生與死？ 從中時「六一八事變」論當前臺灣報業地方新聞的困境

Abstract

2008年六月十八日，《中國時報》宣布裁撤社內五、六百位員工，其中包括八十多位地方記者，創下臺灣報業史上最龐大的裁員幅度。 除此之外，中國時報宣稱轉型「菁英報」，裁撤各縣市的地方新聞中心並取消地方新聞各縣市分版的作法，地方新聞版面及採訪人力大幅縮減，這將對地方新聞的內容、生產過程以及所發揮的功能產生巨大影響。 本研究共訪談包括報社主管、地方記者以及地方消息來源等十八位相關人士，研究指出中國時報在裁員、減張後，其變化包含以下三方面：1)新聞內容：新聞排擠效應下使社會新聞見長、置入性行銷攪亂新聞選擇標準；2)新聞產出過程：記者嚴格篩選新聞、記者與消息來源關係難以培養、新聞處理簡單化，記者失去規劃新聞的能力；3)新聞功能：報份流失、第四權功能萎縮，地方監督出漏洞、以及服務地方的功能大打折扣。

Last year, China Times announced that the company would lay off five to six hundred employees, including more than 80 local journalists, on June 18, 2008. That was when the biggest layoff rate occurred in the history of Taiwan newspaper industry. In addition, China Times claimed that the actions of withdrawing the local news center in different cities and counties, canceling the local Sub-Version based on its declaration of migration, laying off local journalists and reducing the pages for local news was to transform into an 'elite newspaper'. This study has 18 interviewed subjects, including journal directors, local journalists from China Times, as well as local information sources that relate to this study. The study points out, after these large-scale layoffs, China Times was changed in three perspectives: First, in the news content, the percentage of crime news increased and placement marketing caused the selecting-news standard to become chaotic . Second, in the production process, local journalists screen news strictly, the relationship between reporters and sources was difficult to develop, news were simply processed and the local journalists lose the ability of planning news. Third, in news function, the shrinkage of the fourth kind of power caused the newspaper to be unable to watch over the local government as before. Local survelience decreased. And simplified news did not provide as much quality service to the local district as before.