本文深度訪談13 位曾任職南方報業傳媒集團的南方人發現，《南方周末》與《南方都市報》所處場域，雖具有相對自由發揮空間，但仍需與當權者持續博弈，爭取新聞空間。集團領導者多扮演管制者與抗爭者雙重角色，具新聞專業主義精神的領導者風格為：「舉才不分背景，文才為重」、「保有自由開放思想，爭取新聞言論空間」、「分層領導，保護記者優先」、「內部競爭機制，彈性獎勵制度」。造就黃金十年獨有的「289 南方大院」組織文化氛圍。

This paper aims to explore the organizational field, leadership style and culture of the Southern Media Group in China through the eyes of 13 former journalists and leaders from the groups. The Southern Weekly and Southern Metropolis Daily are both found to have relatively free environments, though engagement in political games with the government authority remains necessary. The group leaders often play a dual role as both regulators and protesters, and advocate news professionalism. The leadership characteristics of those who pursue professionalism in news are as follows: ＂Hiring journalists regardless of their educational background, while emphasizing their literary talent,＂ ＂portrayal of liberal ideas, to pursue more space for news freedom,＂ designing a hierarchical leadership mainly to protect journalists,＂ and ＂employing internal competition mechanisms and flexible reward systems to enhance the journalists' performance.＂ Finally, both groups are observed to have created a unique ＂289 South Courtyard＂ organizational culture during the golden era.