China News Service, Lanzhou, March 26 (Reporter Ding Si) "At night, after grooming, turn on the lamp, lean on the bedside and hold a copy of "Reader" to read quietly." Recalling the story in the editorial department of "Reader", 50 years old Gao Maolin, deputy general manager and deputy editor-in-chief of Gansu People's Publishing House, still remembers the scene mentioned many times in readers' letters.
Gansu People's Publishing House was established in 1951. Over the years, it has published a large number of excellent books and several journals with high reputation in China. ").
Since its founding 40 years ago, Reader has had a profound impact on tens of millions of readers at home and abroad, and is known as the "Chinese Mind Reader".
On December 1, 2020, citizens walked out of the Reader Station in Jincheng Park, Xigu District, Lanzhou.
(Data map) Photo by Gao Zhan
Hungry Years: The Reader's Window on the Outside World
In the 1990s, "Reader" won the favor of readers of all ages and different classes due to its richness and diversity in form and content, and became the "No. 1 Brand of Chinese Periodicals", with men, women and children becoming its loyal fans.
In 1995, Gao Maolin, who was born in Zhangye, Gansu, graduated from the Chinese Department of Peking University and decided to return to his hometown for employment. Reader became his first choice for work.
I submitted my resume and came to Lanzhou from Beijing for an interview.
Gao Maolin was interviewed by Hu Yaquan, one of the founders of Reader.
After some exchanges between the two, Hu Yaquan said, "The boy is not bad." After graduation, Gao Maolin became a member of "Reader".
"Doing editing for 3 months" has become the first test accepted by young people entering the job.
"The main job is to open the letters from readers, open them one by one, unfold the letters, and use a stapler to staple the letters and envelopes together to facilitate editing and review; Order and package and send out, send and receive magazines, etc." Gao Maolin recently accepted an exclusive interview with reporters from China News Agency and China News Network, recalling his "editorial story".
Back then, as a graduate of a prestigious school, doing these trivial chores, I couldn't help but feel some gaps and distress in my heart.
Gao Maolin, who gradually figured it out, often said to himself, "If it comes, you can be safe", and became increasingly obsessed with reading these handwritten letters from readers.
After months of honing and reading from a third-party perspective, Gao Maolin's understanding of The Reader has grown day by day.
"About 95% of the letters from readers are compliments to the magazine, like an old friend telling his story with the magazine. Some families of three scramble to pass it on first, some fall in love with the magazine through teacher recommendations, and others from Letter from the prison..." Gao Maolin said that some readers regard the magazine as a confidant, send letters to tell about their troubles in life, and some provide some opinions and suggestions on the articles in the magazine.
In the early 1980s, the country's door gradually opened, and the Chinese people were full of curiosity about the outside world and eager to know more about it.
The Reader, which is positioned as "collecting the essence from China and abroad, inspiring thoughts, and broadening horizons", carefully selects the works of famous domestic and foreign artists, anecdotes, lighthearted humorous comics, etc., to give people the spiritual food of truth, goodness and beauty.
Leading the trend of the times: Baixue in the spring or the people in Liba?
"The key to the success of "Reader" lies in the selection of content. We are by no means a 'scissors + paste' type of copy and paste. The editorial system implemented by the magazine is the key to ensuring the quality of the content." Gao Maolin said that a magazine is like A person with flesh and blood, through the careful arrangement of the editor, must first have a main line (just like a person has a backbone), connecting the entire magazine, just like a person can walk upright with a backbone, instead of putting a bunch of scattered pieces together. The abstract manuscripts are pieced together, which is also the confidence that "Reader" is difficult to imitate.
He said that each editor is responsible for the selection of a part of the manuscripts. By reading newspapers, magazines, books at home and abroad, and manuscripts recommended by readers’ letters, these articles are carefully selected, polished, revised, edited, etc. A magazine requires 50 Days.
How to balance Yangchun Baixue and Xialiba people?
Gao Maolin said that "Reader" always has its own persistence, because the audience of the magazine is very wide, and it is necessary to find a balance point; on the issue of guidance and catering, "Reader" has a firm attitude, choosing positive, full of positive energy, Articles that promote truth, goodness and beauty and guide readers in this direction.
In the 1980s and 1990s, "Reader" became the spiritual sustenance and object of some readers. The magazine also set up a mailbox for "Zhuxin Big Sister" to relieve their worries; opened up a column of "Heaven, South and Dibei" to collect geography, humanities and folklore from all over the world. Style, etc., to satisfy readers' interest in anecdotes from all over the world.
After 2000, the column "Today's Topics" was also set up to provide a platform for the public to talk about social hot topics.
"This magazine accompanies and witnesses China's progress and development. From the curiosity of Chinese people about the outside world to the confident display of Chinese culture at this stage, Reader follows the footsteps of the times and leads the trend," said Gao Maolin.
The picture shows Gao Maolin, deputy general manager and deputy editor-in-chief of Gansu People's Publishing House.
Ding Sishe
Exploration in the digital age: Calling back on traditional reading online and offline
In 2006, Reader Publishing Group, with Reader magazine as its core subsidiary, was established.
In 2007, Reader Network, an online development platform other than publications, was established, with 20 channels and more than 100 columns.
At the end of 2008, the "Reader" mobile newspaper was founded.
In 2010, the Reader e-book was launched, preloaded with all 30 years of Reader magazine articles.
In the face of the impact of the Internet, "Reader" has never stopped the pace of innovation and going out.
In January 2011, "Reader" (Taiwan version) was launched and began to be publicly distributed in Taiwan, China.
At that time, Gao Maolin was transferred to be the editor of "Reader" (Taiwan version).
In 2013, he was transferred to the overseas edition of "Reader" as executive editor.
In July 2020, Gao Maolin was transferred to Gansu People's Publishing House.
In his view, meeting the needs of readers and keeping up with the times are still his goals in publishing.
"Achieving the integrated development of paper publishing and digital publishing" has also become the future development goal of Gansu People's Publishing House.
Will paper books usher in spring again?
In Gao Maolin's view, as traditional media people, they are not as complacent as the outside world thinks. Everyone has been actively trying, hoping to keep up with the pace of the times as soon as possible.
"With the development of the times, the number of paper readers who have left and returned has increased." Gao Maolin said that the fast-paced lifestyle has changed people's life and reading habits, and the voice calling for traditional deep reading has become stronger and stronger in recent years. ; Respecting the real reading needs of readers and providing readers with the high-quality spiritual food they really need is the original intention and mission of publishers.
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