運動分裂下殖民地近代報刊的經營：以臺灣新民報社「同盟罷業」與「冷語子事件」為例

Operation of Colonial Modern Press under Movement Split: “United Strike” and “Cold Talker Incident” within Taiwan Shin Minpao Publishing House

本文旨在臺灣民眾黨與臺灣地方自治聯盟分裂的背景下，以臺灣新民報社內部所引發的「同盟罷業」和「冷語子事件」為具體案例，說明伴隨反殖民運動的過程而發展的殖民地近代報刊，採行資本化經營的過程、影響與意義。《臺灣民報》是反殖民運動中檯面上唯一經臺灣總督府許可，且擁有一定讀者群的論述空間，為了保住這個初具雛形的言論管道，報社採行募股集資的資本化經營模式以維持規律的出版模式，同時也將士紳階層與知識青年之間的合作關係予以制度化，讓出資的本地士紳成為主掌報社的管理階層，而提供論述的知識青年轉為新聞從業人員。1930 年2 月新、舊民報社合併交接之時，恰逢民族運動派人士欲籌組自治聯盟而與民眾黨分道揚鑣之時，由於新民報社的經營者與股東多為自治聯盟的要角，而社內記者群的立場則多偏向民眾黨，讓林呈祿、蔣渭水和謝春木彼此合作，以不當解職和調薪不公為由，煽動記者群發動爭奪報社人事權的「同盟罷業」紛爭。民眾黨與自治聯盟之間的齟齬，持續影響至《臺灣新民報》日刊時期。1932 年7 月，記者黃旺成透過〈冷語〉專欄，譏諷取締役楊肇嘉將《臺灣新民報》視為自治聯盟機關報，而引發兩人筆戰的「冷語子事件」。對於經營階層而言，黃旺成出於黨派之見的批評，不只暴露報社內部立場不一，也影響報刊的銷售；黃旺成則不願《臺灣新民報》為自治聯盟所把持，企圖控訴資本化經營讓報社變成可藉由資本來爭奪發言權的組織，導致經營階層理所當然視《臺灣新民報》為自治聯盟的宣傳機關，而無視記者專業、干涉報導權限。

Using “United Strike” and “Cold Talker Incident” within the Taiwan Shin Minpao Publishing House as concrete examples, this article illustrates the process, impact, and significance of capitalization operations of the colonial modern press, which developed along with the anti-colonial movement, in the context of the split between the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and the Taiwan Local Self-Government League (TLSL). With approval from the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan, The Taiwan Minpao was the only legitimate space for public opinion of the anti-colonial movement with a decent readership. In order to preserve this fledgling channel of free speech, the publishing house adopted a capitalized business model of equity financing to maintain a regular publishing schedule. At the same time, the collaboration between the local gentry and young intellectuals was institutionalized. The local gentry who contributed capital became the management leading the development of the colonial press, while the young intellectuals who provided anti-colonial discourses served as the journalists. In February 1930, the merger of the Taiwan Minpao Publishing House and the Taiwan Shin Minpao Publishing House coincided with the separation of national movement activists from the TPP as they sought to organize the TLSL. Seeing that most managers and shareholders of the Taiwan Shin Minpao Publishing House were major figures in the TLSL whereas the majority of journalists in the publishing house were in favor of the TPP, Lin Cheng-lu, Chiang Wei-shui and Xie Chun-mu joined hands inciting the journalists to start the “United Strike” to fight for control over personnel matters of the publishing house on the grounds of improper dismissal and unfair salary adjustments. The discord between the TPP and the TLSL persisted even after the publication of the daily newspaper, The Taiwan Shin Minpao. In July 1932, journalist Ng Ong-seng, through his column “Cold Talks,” ridiculed Yang Zhao-jia, a board member of The Taiwan Shin Minpao for treating the newspaper as an organ of the TLSL. This eventually led to the “Cold Talker Incident” in which these two men engaged in written polemics. To the management, Ng’s criticism was based on partisan views, and his comments not only revealed the inconsistent stance of the publishing house, but also affected newspaper sales. On the other hand, Ng did not want The Taiwan Shin Minpao to be dominated by the TLSL and tried to accuse that the capitalization operations of the publishing house had turned it into an organization where capital could be used to compete for the right to speak. This fight eventually led the management to take it for granted that The Taiwan Shin Minpao was the propaganda organ of the TLSL, ignoring journalistic professionalism and reporting autonomy.