Research On Reports And Enlightenment Of USA Traditional Mainstream Media On Mao Zedong

At present,the shaping and spreading of country and national leader's image has become the main content of a nation's soft power construction,has become major topic in the field of political and cultural transmission ideology research.Mao Zedong is a worldwide acknowledged the most important politician,thinker and revolutionary in twentieth century.As the founding leader of P.R China,the reports of western media on Mao Zedong are not only about his personal evaluation,but also about the image of Communist Party of China and China's image.The U.S.A medias,especially those with long history and high reputation,have a formidable worldwide impact.It is beneficial for us,by sorting out and studying the U.S.A traditional mainstream media coverage on Mao Zedong,to explore and analysis Mao Zedong and the history,on the other hand,however,we must be wary that whether we can reflect the truth objectively by analyzing and explaining ourselves through western discourse text.The paper uses literature research method,historical analysis method and comparison analysis method which are universally used for studying historical figures,and introduces content analysis method,discourse analysis method and frame analysis method of journalism research,and also by combing related historical context,it analyzes and studies 1800 pieces of report samples of Mao Zedong in American traditional mainstream medias such as "New York Times","Washington Post" and "Los Angeles Times".The paper is divided into four chapters.The first chapter analyzes American media's reports on Mao Zedong before the founding of new China,by tracing back to the history reported by American media agencies and reviewing China's image mirrored by American media during this period,it analyzes the reasons of the objective reports and the negative reports made by American media on Communist Party and Mao Zedong,and summarizes the characteristics at the same time.The second chapter specifically analyzes the reports made by American traditional mainstream media since the establishment of new China to the Cultural Revolution,it introduces the background of the reports of Mao Zedong made by American traditional mainstream medias and lists some important reports of American mainstream media in the background of hostile Sino US relations.In the meanwhile,it analyzes the frame and the contents of the reports as well as the influencing factors during this period.The third chapter specifically analyzes the reports of Mao Zedong made by American traditional mainstream medias during the Cultural Revolution,introduces the background and lists important reports before and after the ease of Sino US relations,and also analyzes the frame and the contents of the reports as well as the influencing factors.The fourth chapter specifically analyzes the reports of Mao Zedong made by American traditional mainstream medias since the end of the Cultural Revolution,introduces the change and development of Sino US relations during this period and the China's official evaluation of Mao Zedong,lists important reports made by American mainstream medias,and also analyzes the frame and the contents of the reports as well as the influencing factors.The basic conclusions drawn by this paper includes the following ones:Firstly,the tone of the reports on Mao Zedong made by American traditional mainstream medias changes along with the role which China plays in USA national interests.The 'truth' of news,which are presented to the public,are reflected by the U.S.A media coverage under "National Priorities"filtration;secondly,as the powerful rival that the U.S government believes,the overall progress of Chinese economic reform has not been fully reflected by the U.S.A media coverage,so-called "Chinese threat",however,has been spread more on the U.S.A media coverage.Through demonizing Mao Zedong on the coverage,the U.S.A Medias attempt to obliterate Mao's lofty status among Chinese people,to deny and slander the leadership of Communist Party of China,and what is more,is to weaken the national assertiveness,to misguide Chinese people to suspect and dissatisfy the socialism system,to threat Chinese national ideology security.In order to strike back the western discourse power to vilify Mao Zedong,shape China's image,spread the voice of China,and tell the world the story about China,construction of Chinese Medias' international discourse is necessary and urgent.