Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 175 Daming News Agency and Newspapers
Feeling really ashamed, Lu Tunan had to list out all the preparations he had made these days:

"As for the classification of Di Bao, I have discussed with Councilor Yang and divided Di Bao into internal reference and monthly publications according to His Majesty's request."

"The internal reference is used to convey news to officials. His Majesty's edicts, court decisions, appointment and dismissal of officials, official memorials, etc. All important matters are excerpted in the internal reference."

"Because the quantity to be printed is small, the internal reference can continue to use the original printing method of Di newspaper."

"This is the internal reference produced by Chen and others."

Taking out a few pages of internal references produced after the original Di newspaper, Zhu Youjian didn't need to read the content. Looking at the scattered papers, he knew that the newspaper he wanted the General Affairs Department to produce was completely different from what Lu Tunan was producing now.

However, this was done by the Secretary of General Affairs according to his own instructions, and Zhu Youjian had to see it.

So he read the content, thinking about later publications, and said:

"Bind these, write out the table of contents, and print page numbers. Match the content with the page numbers to make it easier for readers to check."

"All internal reference distribution must be recorded and must not be spread without reason."

"Especially for confidential content, if someone leaks it, the Jinyiwei Confidentiality Department will pursue the relevant responsibilities."

After determining the internal reference level, Zhu Youjian generally followed the original printing and distribution method of Di Bao for the sake of safety. In order to prevent the imperial court from not having a newspaper, officials could only listen to rumors if they could not get the news.

What he valued more was a monthly magazine that was published publicly and conveyed news to the government and the public.

However, looking at the monthly trial produced by Lu Tunan, it was almost the same as the internal reference. Zhu Youjian felt that it would probably not be sold. After thinking about it, he said:
"Imitate the binding of the internal reference and treat it as a lower-level internal reference."

"But confidential content should not be published in it."

"This monthly magazine is allowed to be sold openly."

Classify the internal reference and monthly journals and say:
"The internal reference is printed every half month, which can be said to be a semi-monthly publication."

"Officials above the imperial court councilor level and chief officials of each yamen will each be issued a copy, which will be issued in front of the Shuowang Court."

"Let officials know about the important events of the court, especially the contents of the court meeting."

"The monthly magazine is distributed to local officials and sold openly."

This is what makes Lu Tunan difficult. If it is only given to officials, it will be easy for him to divide the levels.

But when it comes to public offerings, he has little experience. After all, he is a court official, not a newspaper seller.

So he told the emperor one by one about the difficulties he encountered:

"If the monthly magazine is to be distributed to the localities, should it be printed in the capital and shipped to the localities, or should it be reprinted by the localities?"

"I really don't know how much it will sell for, how many copies will be printed, what to do if it doesn't sell, and whether I should print more if the quantity is not enough."

These questions seem simple, and Zhu Youjian can also give answers. But he realized that this was a question about the nature of the yamen——

In later generations, it is the difference between government agencies and public institutions.

It is really inappropriate to let a Jiuqing yamen like the General Affairs Department handle the affairs of public institutions. Moreover, as a government yamen, not to mention increasing the number of officials, the officials inside will only rely on the court to allocate funds.

Zhu Youjian was unwilling to do this kind of thing that would increase the burden on the court. So after thinking about it, he ordered:

"The Daming News Agency was established, under the personal control of the Secretary of General Affairs and the right to serve as president."

"The news agency has a chief editor, who is responsible for editing content. It has editorial offices for current affairs, history, military, literature, etc., which are responsible for the collection and editing of relevant content."

"Internal reference and monthly magazines have editors-in-chief, who are responsible for compiling the edited content into publications."

"Their official names are "Internal Reference of the General Affairs Department of the Ming Dynasty" and "Monthly Magazine of the General Affairs Department of the Ming Dynasty", sponsored by the Ming Dynasty News Agency."

"The Ming Dynasty News Agency independently casts the seal, starting from the third-grade copper seal specifications."

This was setting up a subsidiary public institution, but Lu Tunan didn't understand it for a while. He just heard that the news agency used the bronze seal of the third grade, and thought that the emperor had added a third grade yamen to the General Affairs Department, so he said with great interest:
"What are the positions of editor-in-chief and editor-in-chief?"

"How many grade officers should be set up?" Zhu Youjian couldn't laugh or cry when he heard this, and explained:

"The Ming News Agency is a right-wing political bureau and president, but it is not a yamen."

"The reason why the third-grade copper seal is used is to prevent outsiders from forging it."

"Those who dare to forge the seal of the news agency will be prosecuted for casting official seals privately."

"As for the news agency staff, they all have no rank."

In order to prevent Lu Tunan from misunderstanding, Zhu Youjian could only arrange everything in detail:

"For news agency staff, experienced people should be selected from the private sector. It is best to have the reputation of being a scholar, a scholar, or a university student."

"We are now in the early stage of preparations. Officials from the Hanlin Academy can also serve as editors. But all editors themselves have no rank."

"But if they do well and make meritorious deeds, they can be granted official status in the imperial court, or even be granted the title of Yuanshi and become official officials."

"Also, in addition to the editor-in-chief's office and the editor-in-chief's office, the news agency has its own personnel department, logistics department, communications department, and business department. The personnel there also have no grade."

"The specific number of people to recruit depends on the needs of the news agency. The salary of the personnel is also determined by themselves."

"The Ming News Agency is a commercial institution. It will be responsible for its own profits and losses in the future and cannot allow the court to allocate funds."

When he heard that it was a commercial unit, Lu Tunan suddenly lost interest. Because he has realized that the relationship between the General Affairs Department and the news agency is not like the Ministry of War and Taipusi, but like the Ministry of Industry and its subordinate shipyards and ironworks.

Especially the idea of ​​being responsible for its own profits and losses made him realize that the news agency could not bring much benefit to the General Secretary, but was instead a burden——

How can a news agency operate without funding from the court?
For a moment, he wanted to ask the emperor not to set up a news agency.

However, he thought that the emperor had already told him to run the newspaper, but he failed to do it well. If you refuse to set up a news agency, the matter will fall on you again. Lu Tunan could only support the establishment of the Daming News Agency and throw this troublesome matter away.

So he took the initiative to request the emperor to elect the Secretary of General Affairs to participate in politics and get rid of this troublesome matter.

According to previous practice, officials below the rank of General Counsel were selected by the Ministry of Personnel at the Hongzhengmen meeting. It was presided over by the Minister of Civil Affairs and selected at Hongzheng Gate east of Huangji Gate.

After Zhu Youjian ascended to the throne, he changed the methods of imperial and ministerial recommendation, especially the promotion of minor ministers in various temples as ministerial ministers, reducing the power of the official department.

The positions of General Secretary General, Shenshang and Shaoqing are equivalent, and the official position of Participating in Political Affairs is a new one. After Zhu Youjian thought about it, he ordered:

"The General Administration Department's left-right participation in political affairs, left-right general administration and left-right consultation will all be recommended by Jiuqing Ting from now on."

"Due to suspicion of confidentiality, all officials of the General Affairs Department, as well as members of the Daming News Agency, have their backgrounds reviewed by Jinyiwei and received confidentiality training."

"We will now select the right-wing political officer responsible for the Daming News Agency, giving priority to officials from the Second Ministry of Household Workers and local officials with financial experience."

"If there are candidates for the chief editor of the news agency, they can also propose them."

　"History of the Ming Dynasty·Biography of Zhao Nanxing":
　　(Zhao Nanxing and Wei Zhongxian) They sat together at the Hongzheng Gate and elected the Chief Secretary to the Council. They spoke sternly to Zhongxian and said:

　　"The Lord is young, and all ministers inside and outside our generation should work hard to do good."

　　Zhongxian is silent and angry.

　　"History of the Ming Dynasty: Biography of Wang Yingxiong":
　　(He Kai) Kai Yi was indignant and corrected him repeatedly, and finally said again:

　　"Stories and memorials are not allowed to be copied by outsiders unless they are copied; they are not allowed to be copied and passed on to the imperial newspaper unless they are ordered to do so.

　　Chen Shu came up on the 10th day of the sixth lunar month, and the decree was issued on the 14th. Ying Xiong presented a defense on the 13th, but the decree had not yet been issued. How could Ying Xiong know? The one who I don’t understand is one.

　　Moreover, the decree must be copied and issued by the Sixth Section. On the 14th day of the lunar calendar, Zhao Guangxiu of the Hundred Households sent the official to the Jinyi Hall, so he could not copy it by the imperial examination. There are two people who I don’t understand. "

　　(Wang Yingxiong) Yingxiong begins to be afraid, which is a sin of neglect.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)