At first,U.S.press coverage of the October revolution was contradictory and confused.What is surprising is how skillfully revolutionary activists around Sun Yatsen like Wu Tingfang in Shanghai and Dong Xianguang in New York were able to turn U.S.media coverage of events in China in a positive direction during the winter of 1911-12.In editorials and news analysis across the country by December 1911, the Manchu rulers were portrayed as corrupt, despotic, and incompetent.The new Republican regime, it was argued, offered the best hope for stability as well as for saving China from dismemberment by foreign powers.The only exception to such coverage was the New York Times that depended heavily on British sources.In terms of the history of China reporting by Americans, the consequences were long lasting.In the wake of the 1911 revolution, U.S.media became much more interested and focused on China-and more willing to openly challenge British hegemony of news coverage.The number of correspondents being sent to China tripled and a new American owned English language treaty port press (China Press and Far Eastern Review) began to compete with the British.
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