| While Chinese ethnic media has existed in the United States for more than 180 years, it is increasingly becoming an important source of information for Chinese immigrants in America. Considering this significance, it is vital to understand how Chinese ethnic media is both produced and consumed. This study traces the power, patterns, and trends in both media production and consumption of contemporary Chinese ethnic media in Boston, and also scrutinizes this development within the contexts of globalization and hyperlocal frameworks.;This dissertation uses a three-level model to investigate the individual, institutional, and external factors that influence news-making decisions. Gatekeeping theory guides the study, and both surveys and in-depth interviews are used to uncover how producers' roles and perspectives affect the Chinese ethnic media content which they are responsible for. Results echo previous studies and identify many factors---news routine, regulation, and journalists' beliefs and education---that impact news production. Unique factors that influence news production, such as immigration status and a feeling of belonging, are also revealed.;This study also explores how Boston's ethnic Chinese consumers use media, especially how they use Chinese ethnic media outlets. The major patterns and motivations behind media consumption by ethnic Chinese are also discussed. Results show that ethnic Chinese rarely consume mainstream media because they rely on Chinese ethnic media and Chinese social media. Uses and gratifications theory is used to explore the possible reasons as to why this is the case.;Overall, the project establishes a foundational understanding of news production and consumption of contemporary Chinese ethnic media in Boston. It applies many theoretical concepts to both Chinese ethnic media and the Chinese ethnic community using a multi-methodological design, including surveys and interviews conducted in Boston in 2015 and 2016. The findings offer insight into the production and consumption patterns of Boston's Chinese ethnic media, and they also enhance scholarly comprehension of the role of ethnic media in the United States more broadly. |
