Mass Communication is a primary contributor to the construction and maintenance of culture. The precise relation of culture to mass communication and its function in our lives has long been debated (Baran, 2010).
Because of the power mass communication has in shaping culture, it presents us with both opportunities and responsibilities. Media industries must operate ethically or risk negatively influencing the culture in which they exist. Consumers likewise have the responsibility to critically examine media messages (Baran, 2010).
Both technology and money shape the mass communication process. Innovations in technology bring about new forms of media, or make older forms more accessible. As profit-making entities, the media must respond to the wishes of both advertisers and audience. Ultimately, though, the consumers choose which forms of media they support and how they react to the messages that face them. Technological and economic factors such as convergence and globalization will influence the evolution of mass communication (Baran, 2010).
[N]ewspapers are downsizing, consolidating to survive, or closing all together; radio is struggling to stay alive in the digital age; and magazine circulation is decreasing and becoming increasingly more focused on microaudiences. The information function of the news has been criticized and called “infotainment,” and rather than bringing people together, the media has been cited as causing polarization and a decline in civility.
(Charles et al. 2009)
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. 2012 CHINESE LEADERSHIP CHANGE
3. GATEKEEPING FUNCTIONS OF MASS MEDIA
4. MEDIA EFFECTS
5. CENSORSHIP AND THE CULTIVATION THEORY
6. CCTV AMERICA: NEWS OR PROPAGANDA?
7. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the role of mass communication within the Chinese political landscape, specifically focusing on how the state uses media to shape public perception and maintain authority. It explores the intersection of government propaganda, journalistic gatekeeping, and the evolving leadership style in China following the 2012 transition.
- The evolution of Chinese leadership communication and the shift toward new media strategies.
- Application of gatekeeping theories to state-run Chinese media outlets.
- The impact of censorship and the role of "The Great Firewall" in controlling political narratives.
- The use of media to cultivate specific social realities and maintain party legitimacy.
- Analysis of CCTV's international expansion as a tool for public diplomacy and image management.
Excerpt from the Book
GATEKEEPING FUNCTIONS OF MASS MEDIA
Overall, the mass media serves four gatekeeping functions: relaying, limiting, expanding, and reinterpreting (Bittner, 1996, p.11).
Reinterpretation is useful when gatekeepers translate a message from something too complex or foreign for us to understand into something meaningful. Amongst many other measures and new rules arising from the leadership change, Chinese Government reports will also ‘thoroughly change, eliminating jargon and indeed jettisoning any empty and unnecessary documents. Foreign travel will be strictly controlled and one staple of Chinese propaganda: the drummed-up crowds of Chinese students and expats that greet leaders when they touch down on foreign soil, will also be dropped’ (Moore, 2012c).
Moore (2012b) observes that Mr Xi’s ‘biography has been carefully scrubbed, his speeches have been carefully scrutinised and his friends have been cautioned not to speak about him. The statements he has made have been enigmatic. A believer in the Communist party, but very much his own man, it is unclear how different Mr Xi will be from his predecessors. Still, many have pinned their hopes on him’.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of mass communication's role in constructing culture and the responsibility of media industries in shaping societal values.
2012 CHINESE LEADERSHIP CHANGE: Details the transition to the new leadership under Xi Jinping, highlighting the party's attempt to shed formalistic traditions and project a more confident image.
GATEKEEPING FUNCTIONS OF MASS MEDIA: Explains the four primary functions of gatekeeping—relaying, limiting, expanding, and reinterpreting—within the context of Chinese political communication.
MEDIA EFFECTS: Analyzes how media influences audience perceptions through "reciprocal" and "boomerang" effects, particularly regarding the image of the Chinese Politburo.
CENSORSHIP AND THE CULTIVATION THEORY: Discusses the government’s efforts to control online discourse through the "Great Firewall" and how these actions relate to George Gerbner’s cultivation theory.
CCTV AMERICA: NEWS OR PROPAGANDA?: Investigates the expansion of CCTV into the U.S. market and whether this outreach serves as objective news or state-directed propaganda.
CONCLUSION: Summarizes the tension between the Chinese state's need for control and the global demand for transparency, emphasizing the ongoing struggle for media freedom.
Keywords
Mass Communication, Propaganda, Gatekeeping, Xi Jinping, Chinese Communist Party, Media Effects, Censorship, Great Firewall, CCTV, Cultivation Theory, Journalism, Political Transition, Soft Power, Public Opinion, State Media
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores the relationship between the Chinese government and mass communication, examining how media is utilized to shape public opinion and maintain political legitimacy.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include the gatekeeping functions of media, the evolution of Chinese leadership's public image, state censorship, and the international expansion of Chinese media platforms.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to analyze how the Chinese state balances the use of media for control and propaganda with the modern need to present a more "human" and approachable leadership to global and domestic audiences.
Which scientific theories are applied?
The paper utilizes mass communication theories, specifically focusing on gatekeeping functions (relaying, limiting, expanding, reinterpreting) and George Gerbner’s cultivation theory.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the 2012 leadership transition, the gatekeeping role of Chinese state media, the specific media strategies surrounding Peng Liyuan, and the global expansion of CCTV.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Propaganda, Gatekeeping, Media Effects, Censorship, Great Firewall, and Chinese Communist Party.
How does the author interpret the term "Propaganda" in the Chinese context?
The author notes that while "propaganda" carries a negative connotation in the West, in the Chinese context it is often treated as a necessary function of the state to propagate information and maintain unity.
How did Peng Liyuan change the traditional image of a Chinese "First Lady"?
Peng Liyuan departed from the tradition of first ladies remaining silently in the background, instead taking on a more visible, public-facing role that includes international diplomacy and charity work.
What is the significance of the "boomerang effect" in this study?
The boomerang effect is used to explain how modern, uncontrollable digital news streams can lead to media narratives that the government finds difficult to contain, as seen in the viral spread of sensitive historical photos.
- Quote paper
- Nick Birch (Author), 2014, Propaganda in China, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/269685
