Leaf through Beijing's weekly international newspaper Beijing Scene and you'll find yourself staring at stories about bars, galleries, and discos. But when editor and publisher Scott Savitt talks about his English-language entertainment tabloid - China's only independent foreign publication - he quotes a slogan uttered by Mao Zedong: "Let a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend."
Savitt sees Beijing Scene as part of an information explosion that may one day change civil society - and political viewpoints - in the People's Republic. In a culture where accurate information is hard to find, Beijing Scene's advertiser-supported listings of movies, cafés, and art exhibitions have found a ready audience. The newspaper attracts 40 percent of its 20,000 readers from China's growing middle class - young, educated urbanites with disposable incomes who have thrived during nearly two decades of economic reforms.
Savitt started Beijing Scene in late 1994, after working as a journalist in China and Hong Kong for more than a decade. The paper's success has spurred a book-publishing division and the recent launch of a sister publication in Shanghai. Savitt is also trying to license his venture as a regular Chinese newspaper - a move that would allow for nationwide circulation.
In almost any other city, Beijing Scene's entertainment fare wouldn't raise eyebrows. But in China, the newspaper has a countercultural cachet. "We reflect the open spheres of Chinese society," Savitt says. But to play it safe, he also spends plenty of time cultivating political connections to draw upon whenever government authorities scrutinize his publishing activities.
The success of Beijing Scene may lead to more independent publishing ventures in China. Or Communist Party leaders could close it down on a whim. But despite the capricious climate, Savitt remains optimistic about the future of information access in China. "The Communist Party is loosening; they're getting old and tired," Savitt says. "In this post-Mao era, there are more acts to unfold."
SCANS
Agent of Cultural Evolution
