The new multi-channel media environment in China: Diversity of exposure in television viewing

Chinese television has gone through enormous growth and significant structural change since the economic reforms of the 1970s. The changes include an increased number of channels, the establishment of overseas channels, increased reliance on advertising, more diversified programming, and heightened market competition. The new multi-channel media environment has the potential to reshape patterns of television consumption and, in turn, affect the democratic development of Chinese society. This dissertation studies television audience behavior in the new media environment in order to better understand the relationship between the media reforms and audience behavior in China.; My approach combined Napoli's (1997 & 1999) concept of exposure diversity and Webster & Phalen's (1997) model of audience behavior to create a theoretical framework for organizing several related analyses of television viewer behavior. Specifically, I analyzed audience concentration, fragmentation, polarization, duplication and channel repertoires in Guangzhou by conducting a secondary analysis of peoplemeter data. This conceptual and analytical framework can serve as model for studying audience behavior in other multi-channel media environments.; The results show that structural changes have decreased the degree of audience concentration and increased the degree of audience fragmentation and polarization in China's television market in the past two decades. Most notably, the rapid development of both overseas and local television services has greatly diminished the audience for national, government operated networks in the Guangzhou television market. Additionally, program types, scheduling characteristics, and language (i.e., Mandarin vs. Cantonese), help explain patterns of audience loyalty.; Overall, though, patterns of audience fragmentation and polarization are more limited than analogous audience behaviors reported in the West. Guangzhou audiences still concentrate on popular programs with general appeals. Television remains a mass medium that attracts audiences with various demographic backgrounds and program preferences. The channels that offer a variety of programs still capture the largest audience shares. Contrary to the fears expressed by some Western commentators, Chinese audiences show very little evidence of forming into "enclaves" (Sunstein, 2001) that confine their television consumption to a limited diet of like-minded speech.