本帖最后由 442371236 于 2009-6-3 22:41 编辑
173.The following is a memorandum issued by the publisher of a newsmagazine, Newsbeat, in the country of Dinn.
"Our poorest-selling magazine issues over the past three years were those that featured international news stories on their front covers. Over the same period, competing news-magazines have significantly decreased the number for cover stories that they devote to international news. Moreover, the cost of maintaining our foreign bureaus to report on international news is increasing. Therefore, we should decrease our emphasis on international news and refrain from displaying such stories on our magazine covers."
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The publisher’s argument at first glance seems to be reasonable, yet plausible when thought twice. The publisher fails to certify several factors that may significantly account for the problem, such as the selective international news are not appealing enough to the mass public, the other content excluding the international news stories may not that superior as others’ and so forth. As far as I am concerned, the argument is flawed because the arguer fails to consider following respects that may account for the problem.
First,it is not advisable of the publisher to take it for granted that the poor selling of certain magazine issues are sheerly due to that the front covers are featured international news. It is also may account of how the international news are edit such as whether the title is fresh , pertinent and tempting enough to the readers’ eyes. To reach a larger readers, how the news is reported is equivalently important to how important the news itself is. For instance, once upon a time, president Nixon paid a visit to china,which is a very ordinary trip that all presidents are used to take. During the trip, there was a interesting part that Nixon played pingpang shortly with Chinese world champion in that field. It is relatively a piece of common news that some media even don't bother to report it , if they do, how it is reported determine how large readers it is supposed to reach. I think people are more likely to be attracted if it is titled our president Nikox’ competitor is Chinese world pingpang champion, rather than our president visited China again .
Second, it is uncertain that whether the competing news-magazines get a better selling by decreasing the cover of international news,the truth may be that they have to decrease the amount of cover stories on international news due to a lack of money or other reasons to continue their searching for international news. Also the past three year’ experience of isn’t reliable enough to demonstrate that the magazines featured in international news is not expected to reach a larger and larger readers in the near future, since the themes of the world are peace and developing ,both of which require a more close relationship between different countries. It may pay to the increasing investment in international news.
Third, the publisher made the decision based on such a few factor,whether reliable or unreliable ,that we can easily figure out many other reasons to show how the argument is unpersuasive and flawed. It is likely that the rest of the magazines featuring international news is not superior that readers don’t think it worthy to buy one ,or perhaps the news are not up-to-date,which people have read them in newspaper ,from TV programmes of by the Internet. Also ,it may be that it contains too many international news a time in a magazine ,that people would rather buy an magazine specialized in that sort of news instead.
In all, the argument is not persuasive and compelling enough to make us convince. To make a rational decision ,the publisher should think thoroughly and comprehensively ,instead of making a plausible argument based on some inconclusive reason. And an survey on readers preference may help a lot to make a decision. It is not unworthy to have a try to keep a proper amount of selective international news instead of gathering in several certain magazines of refraining it to a very pathetic amount.
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发表于 2009-6-3 17:08:45
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