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Challenges and Media Strategies of the Weekly Huimang(Hope)
Journal of Popular Narrative
2017, 23(3),
pp.161-201
DOI :10.18856/jpn.2017.23.3.005
Publisher : The Association of Popular Narrative
Research Area : Interdisciplinary Research
DOI :10.18856/jpn.2017.23.3.005
Publisher : The Association of Popular Narrative
Research Area : Interdisciplinary Research
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The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the media orientations and strategies of Weekly Huimang(Hope) by empirically reconstructing it. This magazine was first published by Huimangsa in 1955 as a part of an aggressive magazine chain strategy. It was published regularly for over two years and had a literary coterie and editorial system that consisted mainly of journalists. With the slogan of "A magazine like a newspaper, a newspaper like a magazine," the editorial line of the Weekly Huimang(Hope) was in interpretative journalism, which inherited the journalism spirit of the Saehan Minbo (This magazine was first issued in 1947). The purpose of the Weekly Huimang(Hope) was to contribute to its readers' demand for knowledge and literary arts while getting well again the fairness and publicness of journalism, and to make a new culture of public opinion. The Weekly Huimang(Hope) had a media strategy that was fixated on enhancing the uniqueness and popularity of interpretative journalism, which operated experimentally and stably during the period of the first editorial director. The strategy of interpretative journalism was intended to contribute to a high quality public opinion by increasing the weight of commentary and diversifying the specializations. The strategy for enhancing the popularity of interpretative journalism involved softening the news, expanding the interview articles, and presenting a diversification of pop arts and tastes. This further enhanced the spontaneity and accessibility of the public readers while revealing the point of contact with the commercialization strategy of the Hankook Ilbo Sunday edition (first issued in 1954). However, during the period of the second editorial director, there was a frequent publication delay due to unfavorable factors, such as the severe allegation of line editing and the transfer of the literary coteries. Starting with its innovative issue, the Weekly Huimang(Hope) attempted to rise again, but it was discontinued without notice on September 1958 amid management aggravation and indirect political pressure. Nevertheless, the Weekly Huimang(Hope) is significant because it reflects the magazine-culture of the 1950s. It interacted with its readers with a journalism spirit that magazines should pursue in the rapidly changing post-war society. It also demonstrated a creative planning ability and aggressive operation strategy that enabled it to cope with commercialization demands. Furthermore, it cultivated human infra and developed cultural contents that led to the age of weekly magazines in the 1960s.
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