Research On "Social Watch" Of Phoenix TV Program

As an important kind of in-depth news reporting style in recent years, TV investigative reporting gradually rises and develops in the press of China. Thus a large number of outstanding TV programs characterized by investigative reporting emerged. However, because of the press censorship in China, the production of investigative reporting featured by "negative news" is restricted by various factors in this special environment of public opinion.Therefore, due to the special nature of business media, phoenix TV, which was founded in 1996 in Hong Kong, becomes a rare and prominent phenomenon in the TV industry by interpreting sensitive subjects from a unique narrative view.The extraordinary platform of TV program production and broadcasting, together with the personnel's profound thinking and alternative presentation to social issues, makes the "Social Watch" a major social feature program in Phoenix Chinese channel. The external package, genre positioning, subject choice, narrative features and operation strategies, etc. all have something remarkable and brilliant.In order to do a lateral and vertical research systematically, the author takes the program "Social Watch" as subject investigated and employs the 5W model proposed by Harold D. Lasswell, one of the four pioneers in the field of Communication studies, to analyze the program by undertaking the control analysis, content analysis, media analysis, audience analysis and effect analysis specifically.Through the study, the author holds the opinion that:(1) the production team fulfilled its role as "gatekeeper" and "entruster" successfully in the process of selecting subjects, producing program and organizing the content. (2) "Social Watch" is a program which really puts emphasis on investigative reporting in China. The broadcasting proportion is so high that once had reached 92%. (3) TV, Internet and books provide "Social Watch" with various channels of publicity and marketing. (4) Great attention is paid to the programs of the "three-high crowd" and the marginal groups. (5) The program exerts great influence on the knowledge of the audience, the promotion of the press and the improvement of the society.The distinguishing feature of the program and the operation strategies necessarily account for the persistence and success of Phoenix TV "Social Watch". A thorough research on this program is beneficial to other in-depth journalism reporting, investigative reporting especially. That is the purpose and significance of this paper.