簡析《衛報》信託所有權之治理模式

Analyzing the Governance Model of the Guardian's trust Ownership

賴子歆(Tzu-Hsin Lai)

《傳播文化與政治》 1期 (2015/06) Pp. 143-166

摘要

本文簡介紹史考特信託的來龍去脈，接著追問：《衛報》信託所有權的治理模式為何？又，在時代變遷下如何調整其治理？「信託」是英國常見的企業治理模式，為了「永久保有《衛報》財務及編輯的獨立」，該報產權人在1936年採取「私益」而非公益信託，藉此讓信託能夠得到更大裁量空間，調動財產與資金，改進新聞表現、因應市場變動；獲利不由私人佔有而是回流新聞編採，虧損則取集團其他事業的收益以作挹注。《衛報》20世紀初業主暨總編輯C. P. Scott的名言「總編輯與經理人並肩而行，但總編輯先經理人一小步」，為此得到較佳保障，日後新聞學者稱之為「公司治理」和「新聞治理」的雙元模式，已經先在《衛報》治理迄今的三個時期，得到落實。《衛報》以信託方式運作在天生不穩定的市場，已近八十年，未來，若無公共政策介入，是否仍可存續與茁壯，可再關注。

關鍵字

治理 ； 信託所有權 ； 新聞媒體信託 ； 衛報 ； 雙元治理

並列摘要

Regarding the distinct governance features demonstrated by the Guardian in different time spans, this article takes on historical approach to analyze the nature of the Guardian's trust ownership as well as endeavors to provide a longitudinal framework of the newspaper's governance under the trust structure, which enables the Guardian to withstand the violent change of the media world while remaining independent in news reporting. The article begins with a general introduction of the Scott Trust and then examines both the definition of trust and trust ownership models of news media enterprises to allocate the nature of the Scott Trust. To build a framework of the governance of the Guardian, this article looks back on the major governance theory and related literature on median governance. The reviews show that the integration of corporate governance and news governance is one of the key factors to foster a news media be responsible for shareholders and stakeholders of all aspects. The second part of this article provides a longitudinal framework and discussion of the Guardian's governance composed by three periods, 1936-59, 1960-89 and 1990 till now. It concludes that both the trust ownership that guards the newspaper's editorial and financial independence, and the corporate & news governance that draws on the Guardian's tradition that respects editor, contribute greatly to the survival and success of the Guardian, which shows profit-seeking and public good-seeking are not the total opposite. This article thus points out another possible option of business model for Taiwanese news media owners.

並列關鍵字

corporate governance & news governance ； governance ； the Guardian ； trust ownership ； trust ownership of news media