Sina Science and Technology News On the evening of December 11, Alibaba The Group (NYSE: BABA) announced the acquisition of the South China Morning Post, combining Ali's Internet advantages with the editorial advantages of the South China Morning Post, to create a high-quality window for the English speaking world to understand China. This acquisition is the media assets of South China Morning Post Group (SEHK: 0583), including the paper and online versions of South China Morning Post, magazines, outdoor media and other businesses.
Alibaba, which is committed to building future business infrastructure, has established e-commerce, payment, logistics, cloud computing and other business platforms in the past 16 years to serve China's business society and expand to the world. Today, high-quality content products about China's economy and commerce have increasingly become a global business infrastructure, especially for SMEs. Alibaba realized that it should combine high-quality news gathering and editing with an efficient Internet communication platform to meet the needs of Chinese and global business circles.
Cai Chongxin, executive vice chairman of Alibaba Group, said, "The unique feature of the South China Morning Post is that it focuses on reporting on China in English. Anyone who wants to know about China, the world's second largest economy, will pay attention to such reports. Our ideal is to make it easy for more people to read the South China Morning Post through Ali's advantages in the digital era To help this media gain global audience and establish global influence. "
While announcing the acquisition, Cai Chongxin published a letter to the readers of the South China Morning Post. Cai Chongxin pointed out that with the acquisition of the South China Morning Post, Ali has seen a good business prospect, and will provide additional resources to cultivate a high-quality editing team. Relying on Alibaba's digital technology advantages, it will help the content of the South China Morning Post spread more widely, so that the media can gain a global audience. The South China Morning Post will continue to focus on China and bring profound, comprehensive and unique news and analysis to global readers. As the first step of the digital transformation, Cai Chongxin revealed that Alibaba Group will, after a certain period of time and preparation, fully open the online paid content of the South China Morning Post for free - allowing readers to get free news anytime and anywhere on the Internet and mobile terminals.
Cai Chongxin also stressed that the South China Morning Post would continue to maintain its editorial independence and report news in an objective, accurate and fair manner: "Daily editorial decisions will be made by editors in the news editing room, not in the board of directors."
Hu Yichen, CEO of the South China Morning Post Group, said: "Alibaba Group's expertise in the field of mobile Internet has been proved. This company has excellent ability to use technology to create content more effectively and reach the world. We welcome Alibaba to invest more resources in the editing and operation of the South China Morning Post, which will make the South China Morning Post more powerful."
Through investment and marriage, the combination of Internet technology and high-quality editing power of traditional media has proved to be very effective. Nearly two years after Bezos took over the Washington Post, the Washington Post has made remarkable progress in content, technology and marketing while maintaining its prestige. In October this year, the monthly number of visitors to the Washington Post reached 66.9 million, an increase of 59% over the same period last year, surpassing the New York Times for the first time.
In the agreement, the assets acquired by Alibaba from the South China Morning Post Group include the Sunday South China Morning Post, its e-commerce website, Chinese website, recruitment business, magazine business, outdoor media, conference business, education and digital media business in addition to the flagship South China Morning Post. (Tianheng)
