Typically magazines published by chambers of commerce serve as "house organs," concentrating on news about the organization's activities and members for an internal readership. TOPICS magazine, published ten times a year by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, has a broader mission and a broader audience.
"Our purpose is to provide solid, well-researched, and well-written information and analysis about international business trends and conditions in Taiwan," says Don Shapiro, AmCham's director of publications and editor-in-chief of TOPICS.
The readership consists mainly of executives of multinational companies (including but not limited to chamber members), as well as government officials and lawmakers in both Taiwan and the US, and others interested in international business issues.
The primary story in each issue is the cover subject. In August, TOPICS reported on the extensive progress being made in reforming the financial sector, and printed an exclusive interview with Finance Minister Lee Yung-san conducted by Staff Reporter Matthew Smith.
The September cover story, "Marching to a Different Tune," explains why budget pressures, political changes, and differences over perceptions of national identity have made arms procurement a much more complicated process than in the past.
Each May, the main content of the magazine is the White Paper prepared annually by AmCham to present the host government with its suggestions and comments on how to improve the investment climate in Taiwan. The White Paper issue is consistently the most widely read and widely quoted of the year. Other regular features found in most issues are: * The editorial, explaining AmCham's position on a key topic. In September, the editorial cautions that now is not the appropriate time for Taiwan to seek a Free Trade Agreement with the US.
* The Issues section, which examines the status of important matters of concern to the foreign business community.
* Industry Focus, an in-depth examination of the state of development in one of Taiwan's major industry sectors. Upcoming issues will look at the motor vehicle manufacturing, retailing, insurance, and semiconductor sectors.
* Travel & Leisure, designed to help foreign businesspeople make the most of their stay in Taiwan by acquainting them with elements of the local culture and opportunities for sightseeing around the island. The article in the September issue, for example, highlights places to visit on "the Majestic East Coast."
* With its circulation of 14,000 copies going to a high-level readership, TOPICS also provides many companies with an attractive advertising vehicle. Besides normal display advertising, either in cover positions or inside the magazine, TOPICS offers two other types of promotional opportunities. One is the "cover sponsorship," in which the sponsor's corporate logo appears on the cover, a brief profile on the Contents page, and both logo and profile are displayed on the AmCham web site (www.amcham.com.tw). The other is a more extensive company or product profile known as an "advertorial."
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