Can you tell us more about Bizzy News and how it came to be?
The inception of Bizzy News cannot be discussed without addressing the closure of Busy Weekly on 3^rd June last year. Founded in January 2009, Busy Weekly was the only Chinese financial weekly magazine on the market at the time. Apart from filling the gap in the Chinese financial publication market, it was founded with the mission of meeting readers' needs for reliable, independent, exclusive, comprehensive, and analytical Chinese financial insights. Following the cessation of Busy Weekly's operations due to investor decisions, my colleague Ho Chai Yoke and I remained committed to the original vision and principles of Busy Weekly. Together, we launched Bizzy News to perpetuate these ideals. 

After working in business and finance journalism for more than three decades, how have you seen the landscape evolve over the years?
Many readers believe that Chinese financial news and information are simply translated from English financial publications, especially in terms of interviews and analytical content. We do not deny that English financial publications have an advantage in the global business world. However, the unchanged operations and lack of systematic training and talent retention in Chinese media are factors contributing to the inferiority of Chinese financial news compared to English. Due to limited financial and material resources, we refrain from entertaining hopes of altering this traditional impression. However, we will strive to sow the seeds of change with our utmost efforts.

In the early 1990s, the local stock market transitioned from manual to electronic trading and later to computerisation. This change not only revolutionised the methods and procedures of buying and selling stocks but also completely transformed the channels, methods, and timing of obtaining stock market information and news about listed companies. In the 1990s, investors had only two methods to grab the stock prices of the day. One was to personally visit the broking houses; the other was to contact a remisier by phone because the financial newspapers published the previous day's market information. In today's age of ubiquitous internet access, investors no longer visit the broking houses to check stock prices, nor do they frequently contact remisier. Instead, they can obtain real-time stock prices and market information through smartphones, tablets, and computers.

For most investors, the daily stock market information and financial news published in newspapers have little significance today. In the fiercely competitive investment world, timely market information and news are crucial. This is why we decided to continue our beliefs through a website. Of course, the popularisation of investment knowledge and the rise of social platforms have also led to a diverse array of financial news, or more precisely, stock news or information. For traditional media and emerging media like Bizzy News, this is an unavoidable competition and a fact that must be faced. 

What is the focus of Bizzy News content?
We rely on reliability and trustworthiness as the cornerstone of market segmentation because investments involve money, and every investor wants to make money and hopes to obtain information and news that is helpful to their investments. At this point, 'reliable and trustworthy' becomes extremely important. 70% of our content focuses on company news and the stock market, while the remaining 30% covers domestic and international economy, investment and finance, lifestyle, financial figures, and columns by renowned experts.

Who is the intended audience for Bizzy News and is it limited to Malaysian readers only? How will your portal address the needs of both novice and seasoned audiences in the finance sector?
As the vast majority of our content focuses on local news, Bizzy News primarily targets readers both locally and in Singapore. However, in the boundless world of the internet, overseas readers interested in investing in the local market are also potential customers for us.

To cater to the needs of both novice and seasoned investors, our editorial policy emphasises readability and clarity. Financial news covers a wide range of topics, from the stock market to listed companies, futures trading to derivative products, finance to commodities, macro to microeconomics, trade to fiscal policies, currency to interest rates, alternative investments to financial planning, and so on. Each category has its own specialised terminology, and our goal is to explain these terms and their meanings in language that ordinary readers can understand and comprehend, thereby presenting a comprehensive report. 

What factors influenced your decision to implement a paywall on the Bizzy News website? How has the response been so far and how does it align with the interests of the target audience?
We have decided to operate Bizzy News with a subscription model. This not only ensures revenue to sustain operations but also serves as our commitment to providing 'reliable and trustworthy' financial information. We guarantee that the information we provide is sourced from reliable and neutral sources, without any false information or rumours.

Bizzy News operates on a membership basis, with two types of memberships: paid and free. Paid members have access to all news, interviews, analyses, special features, and columns on the website, while free members can still access general daily news such as daily stock market updates and the latest company developments.

Does the adoption of a paywall model by business and financial news sites also mean that PR cannot work with Bizzy News to earn free content?
The subscription model does not affect our collaboration with public relations companies. Corporate or commercial messages should not solely aim for traffic reach but rather focus on delivering information to the right target audience. Readers willing to pay for financial news or information are serious about investment, making them the primary audience for many business and investment information sources.

What types of partnerships or collaborations do you envision to enhance the portal's offerings?
We will collaborate with all partners related to finance, including financial planners, accountants and tax consultants, insurance and trust companies, and even speakers from various fields, hoping to work together to create a more favorable ecosystem for Chinese investors. We also welcome advertisers and public relations companies to propose any suggestions for paid content. 

Answers submitted by Ko Keak Hock and Ho Chai Yoke, Co-founders of Bizzy News.

Read the original full interview in Chinese here.