The Existing Value And Prospect Of Cantonese In TV Media

At present, the academic study of dialect on television media, mostly concentrated in the fieldof culture and the news media, or discussed on the individual TV column. It is still lacking thatthe specialized research of Cantonese on television media. This paper is based on the reality ofCanton, using multi-disciplinary theory to explore the value of the existing value and prospectof Cantonese in TV media.Cantonese is the dominant language in Canton TV media. Cantonese channels account for morethan half of all TV channel in Canton. There are seven Cantonese channel in the top tenaudience rating of Canton. TV program appreciation index of Cantonese is high.Cantonese emerged at least two thousand years ago and existed in Canton TV channels for over50years. The vast majority of cities in the Pearl River Delta open Cantonese channels whoseaudience rating is highest in the local.There is a triple significance of the existence of Cantonese in TV media. Politically,establishment of Cantonese channels aims at competing with Hong Kong TV channels,enhancing the power of spread and guiding public opinion. Economically, advertisement valueof Cantonese channel is much higher than Putonghua channel. Culturally, the existence ofCantonese in TV media is advantageous to inherit the characteristics of Lingnan culture whichis open, free, inclusive and pragmatic. What is more, audiences in Canton have strong culturalself-identification with Cantonese.Prospect of Cantonese in TV media can be analyzed from three dimensions. With the city’srising status, the enhancing cultural influence, Cantonese will keep language prestige high.Cantonese will highlight the position and play a unique role in the process of the integration ofGuangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, which is an important national strategy. It is an importantmanifestation of implementing national strategy that maintaining Cantonese in the televisionmedia. Cantonese is the most widely used language among the overseas Chinese, as a result itbuilds a convenient channel for China’s global spread.