I am a Taiwanese journalist and have been honored with the Golden Tripod Award, a national-level journalism award. My work focuses on in-depth reporting on social issues, finance, and real estate. Currently, I am a staff writer at Commonwealth Magazine, one of Taiwan's most trusted print media outlets.


Over the past four years, I have witnessed the dramatic changes and challenges facing the media industry. I am acutely aware of Taiwan's media trust crisis, largely due to its high degree of political polarization. The traditional advertising model is also rapidly disintegrating as audiences become more fragmented across different platforms. Data from the Reuters Institute's Digital News Report confirms this trend: Taiwan's younger generations are increasingly turning to social media and video platforms, making it difficult for traditional media to sustain a single, stable business model. Despite these significant challenges, I remain a staunch believer in the indispensable role of quality journalism in society.

My decision to pursue an MBA at this critical juncture stems from a deep-seated desire to drive industry-wide change. This aspiration is a natural extension of my past work, where I was driven by a relentless pursuit of truth and a commitment to creating tangible impact. From my independent feature on Taiwan's last legal brothel for the United Daily News to leading the award-winning Commonwealth Magazine cover story on "White-Collar Fraud," my reporting has not only exposed problems but also directly led to legislative and regulatory reforms by the Executive Yuan.

While I am proud of my journalistic achievements, seeing talented young journalists leave the industry has made me realize that the power of individual reporting alone is insufficient to address the systemic commercial and organizational crises facing Taiwan's media. To transform individual successes into industry-wide transformation, I need to move beyond my journalistic expertise and learn how to reshape a media organization from a business perspective.

### MBA Goals: Filling Gaps to Arm Myself for Change

My experience at Commonwealth Magazine has trained me to be a problem-solver. Each of my articles not only presents a problem but also seeks to find a solution. To address the media industry's predicament, specifically how to **transform the "impact" of reporting into a "sustainable business model"** for media organizations, I require systematic business training. This is why I am pursuing an MBA—to acquire a set of critical skills that will address the core pain points of the media industry.

* Business Strategy and Management: I aim to learn how to fundamentally solve the problem of declining advertising revenue. I will study the successful cases of The New York Times and The Economist, learning how to formulate long-term business strategies and build diversified revenue streams such as paid subscriptions and membership models to adapt to a rapidly changing market. I will learn to treat a media product as a business project, managing its entire lifecycle from market research to monetization.
* Data Analytics and AI Applications: I will master tools in business analytics and user behavior analysis to gain precise insights into audience needs and content preferences. This will help me transform my unique journalistic advantages—such as my exclusive analysis of the failed Far EasTone-Asia Pacific Telecom merger or the Dubai real estate boom—into sustainable products. Concurrently, I will explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in news production, distribution, and exclusive information gathering, allowing me to create maximum impact with limited resources in a fragmented market.
* Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Through MBA case studies and practical projects, I will cultivate an innovative mindset, learning how to identify market opportunities, develop Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), and iterate quickly. This is crucial for carving out new business models and blue oceans for Taiwan's independent media in a saturated market.
* Financial Management and Organizational Leadership: My experience covering the financial beat has given me an understanding of capital markets. An MBA will further enhance my knowledge of media financing, investment decisions, and cost control, ensuring my innovative ideas can secure solid financial backing. Furthermore, I hope to learn leadership skills for organizational change, enabling me to effectively guide media teams through digital transformation, and attract and retain top talent.

### Post-MBA Plan: Strategically Applying New Skills to Return to Media

My post-MBA plan is divided into two phases, designed to seamlessly integrate my journalistic insights with the business acumen I gain from my studies.

* Short-Term Plan: Gain Practical Experience in Management Consulting
After graduation, I plan to join a management consulting firm. I will view this phase as an accelerated learning platform, applying my MBA-acquired skills in business strategy, data analytics, and financial modeling to provide solutions to companies across various industries. This experience will equip me with a highly structured set of thinking tools, compensating for my lack of corporate operational experience as a journalist.

While I do not have hard skills in coding, my academic background in history and psychology, coupled with four years of journalistic experience, has given me a deep insight into human nature, social trends, and user needs. I believe that combining this unique cross-disciplinary insight with the business tools I acquire in consulting will be my core advantage, allowing me to provide clients with more holistic and human-centric solutions.

* Long-Term Plan: Return to the Media Industry and Lead Transformation
After accumulating 2-3 years of consulting experience, I will return to the media industry, seeking a role in strategy or product management at a major Taiwanese media company or an emerging digital content startup. My ultimate goal is to leverage my consulting-acquired skills in business analysis and organizational change management, combined with my content insights, to lead media digital transformation projects and localize international success stories.

Specifically, I plan to:
* Design a Subscription Model Tailored to the Local Market: I will draw inspiration from The New York Times' "all-access subscription" strategy, evaluating how to combine high-quality in-depth reporting with local lifestyle content (e.g., food, travel, arts) to design a paid product that builds user habits and increases retention.
* Establish a Diversified Revenue Model for Independent Media: I will use my business modeling skills from consulting to design business models for independent media outlets that go beyond subscriptions. This could include revenue from member communities, offline events, and content licensing to ensure their sustainable and independent operation.
* Leverage AI to Enhance Content Value: I will explore how to use AI, not just for automated reporting, but to unlock its potential for exclusive information gathering. This will help media organizations find unique story leads in the deluge of data, enhancing the exclusivity and competitiveness of their content.