The conception of Chinese journalists: ideological convergence and contestation

Abstract

The extension of the press and journalism has historically been an extension of democratic participation. The empowerment of audience as members of the public community is key to any democratic media practice. In this chapter, I shall explore the continuities and discontinuities of three press models that have characterized modern China, with particular reference to their conception of journalists and audience. My historical lineage runs from the turn of the last century when the modern press was first established in China, through the Nationalist rule, to the post-1949 Communist rule (thus excluding the post1949 press models in Taiwan and Hong Kong). I have summarized these three models in Table 6.1 in terms of their broad historical backgrounds as well as conceptions of journalism, journalists and audience. I do not attempt to construct a grand historical narrative but aim more modestly to extrapolate a rough outline of role conception for modern Chinese journalists in their quest of “national wealth and strength” (fuqiang).

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