the control of Zhang Zongchang (張宗昌), another warlord; and Chen Bao was under the direct control of Yan Jiu Xi, yet another warlord. Additionally, Shun Tian Shi Bao was run by the Japanese. In view of this, Shao advocated that journalists should report truthfully and practice the discipline of verification. He put this principle into practice when working for Shenbao. Another problem of news organizations in China, especially in the 1910s, was the heavy dependence on foreign news agencies. Shao found this practice a barrier to the development of Chinese journalism because when journalists only copied the news scripts offered by foreign organizations, they failed to produce news on their own through self-exploration of the truth. Thus, in 1917, Shao requested local reporters working for Shenbao to increase the length of their texts from 200 words per article to 500. He also enlarged the coverage of news to include local news, foreign news, and domestic and foreign government policies and critiques. Combating censorship In the 1910s, when China was under the repressive rule of warlords, freedom of speech was suppressed and newspapers were under strict censorship. Despite this, Shao insisted on reporting political and military news on Shenbao, at a time when most journalists were confined to reporting on non-political and non-military issues. Although the government was occasionally offended by Shao's daring practice, he managed to reveal the down-to-earth truth to the public with the help of his keen social skills and wide interpersonal network with officials. Shao's actions demonstrated that democratic and free journalism can be a powerful weapon against a repressive government. This increased the public's appreciation that freedom of speech and publication would not be granted by the government unless they fought for it. Journalists were also inspired, and guidance was provided on combating censorship. Journalism guidelines Summarized from the books, articles, and speeches by Shao, he believed that in order to be a good journalist, one should: be aware of the current affairs. be able to analyze and understand the background of news. emphasize the ability to judge the value of news, and the complex and changing situation. have the courage to stand against any pressure from authorities (e.g. the warlords). be aware of the fact that one is influential to society and has the power to change it through reporting the news. stay in close touch with different social classes in order to have a