haʊˈɛvɚ, wˌɛn ðə bˈæn ˌɔn fɹˈiː pɹˈɛs wʌz lˈɪftᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɛvən, ðə nˈuːzpeɪpɚ bɪɡˈæn fˈeɪsɪŋ fˈɪɹs kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃən ænd, æz ɐ ɹɪzˈʌlt ʌv ɪts kənsˈɜːvətˌɪv ˈɪmɪdʒ ænd kənˈɛkʃən wɪððə pˈæst kjˈuːəmˌɪntæŋ ˌɔːθoːɹɪtˈɛɹiənˌɪzəm, ɪt bɪɡˈæn lˈuːzɪŋ pˌɑːpjʊlˈæɹᵻɾi.
However, when the ban on free press was lifted in 1987, the newspaper began facing fierce competition and, as a result of its conservative image and connection with the past Kuomintang authoritarianism, it began losing popularity.