TNAG-0186-FCO40-222-Special-branch-reports-on-Communist-activities-1969 — Page 12

the communist newspapers largely discredited themselves

during confrontation last year as a result of the

blatant lies they published, many of these people

believe the news published in the more responsible press.

If such be the case then the communist journals do not

have the influence their circulation suggests.

Nevertheless, public memory is short and of course the

belief can grow that a story must have some substance

if it is repeated often enough without being

satisfactorily countered. ("There is no smoke without

fire"). With the current communist tactics of giving

support to anyone with a grievance against Government,

whether real or imagined, the communist press is likely

to attract sympathy and support, not only from those

directly affected but also from that section of the

community which genuinely wishes to assist the more

unfortunate citizens, While it is unlikely that the

communist press will make any startling improvement

in its circulation in the immediate future, it could

achieve a slow but steady recovery unless it is shown to

be as impervious to the truth as ever and to be purely

utilising local grievances for political gain.

Finance

23.

All communist newspapers are, to some extent,

subsidised by the C.P.G. Some receive direct financial

assistance while others get their aid in the form of

cheap newsprint from the China Resources Company. The

newspapers are not, therefore, altogether dependent upon

their sales for their existence but they are, nevertheless,

at present under considerable pressure from China to make

themselves financially viable and to do this they will have

to make themselves more attractive to the reading public.

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CONFIDENTIAL