VZCZCXRO2647
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #7725 2290659
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170659Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0966
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 027725 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PGOV CH
SUBJECT: With U.S. Consulate's Help, Magazine "Citizen" 
Explores Foreign Sources of Funds 
 
Ref: A) GUANGZHOU 20890; B) GUANGZHOU 18191 
 
(U) This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a meeting between a representative of 
the American philanthropy group the Rockefeller Brothers 
Fund and the publisher of the magazine "Citizen," arranged 
by the Consulate, methods for raising money for "Citizen" 
were discussed.  The Rockefeller representative, without 
making any firm commitments, agreed to continue working with 
"Citizen" to help the magazine find funding opportunities. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On August 7 Econ/Pol Intern arranged a meeting 
between a Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) Representative, 
Hao Yuanwen, the publisher of the magazine "Citizen" 
("Shimin"), and Yao Yuanguang, Hao's assistant.  The purpose 
of the meeting was to help "Citizen"'s managers learn how to 
take a more business-oriented approach to running a 
magazine.  In previous meetings between Congenoffs, Hao, and 
Yao, Congenoffs agreed to explore funding opportunities for 
a magazine such as "Citizen," which has funding only until 
the end of 2006 (refs A and B).  Congenoffs subsequently 
arranged this meeting with the RBF, which, in its China 
program, has made south China its focus. 
 
¶3. (SBU) After the RBF representative gave an introduction 
about the RBF, and Hao and Yao gave an introduction about 
"Citizen," the discussion turned to optimal ways for the 
magazine to obtain funds.  Yao suggested that the magazine 
should attempt to expand to overseas Chinese communities, 
especially in the US and Canada, in an effort to gain their 
support.  The RBF representative urged Yao to reconsider 
this idea, cautioning him that the magazine might get 
involved in other sorts of political issues that are not 
what the magazine's publisher has in mind.  In addition, the 
amount of funding from overseas Chinese might not be very 
substantial. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The RBF representative suggested that "Citizen" 
remain focused on China, at most expanding into Hong Kong 
and Macao.  She said that the magazine's priority should be 
finding suitable advertisers, since presently it gets almost 
all its money from private donations.  Hao and Yao, who have 
little experience in the magazine business, appeared to find 
advice on how to find advertisers useful. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The RBF representative indicated that the RBF would 
likely support one issue as a first step, especially if the 
issue's main focus has to do with the environment and small 
communities, which is of special interest to the RBF.  She 
also said she would explore other funding opportunities for 
the magazine. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶6. (SBU) During the meeting, Hao and Yao seemed to be 
primarily concerned with looking for donors and 
philanthropists to help fund the magazine, especially from 
abroad.  The RBF representative's suggestion that a more 
long-term solution is to find solid and consistent 
advertisers seemed more sensible.  Unfortunately, Hao and 
Yao, though driven by a commendable ideology, do not have 
much experience in the magazine business.  It is unclear 
whether they will be able to keep afloat in the competitive 
magazine industry.  End comment. 
 
MARTIN