The Introduction Of Investigative Reporting And The Change Of Chinese Journalism

As an influential news format originated from the US,investigative reporting was introduced into China in 1980s,making a profound impact on development of Chinese media and society.Utilizing various kinds of literature materials,the paper examines the historical process of how investigative reporting was introduced into China,and focuses the interaction mechanism of ideas,practice and discourse in it,then further inquires how the process influences Chinese journalistic culture.The paper divides the process of investigative reporting developing in China into two stages.From the early 1980s to the mid-1990s,the concept of investigative reporting was introduced into Chinese journalism,but wasn't widely accepted by neither mainstream medias nor academic community.During this period,Chinese journalism carried out a series of influential investigative reporting practices,most of which were conducted under the discourse of "supervision by public opinion" and "in-depth reporting",the discourse of investigative reporting was not formed.Since the mid-nineties,along with the creation of"news probe" and other investigative TV programs also the transformation of "Southern Weekend","China Youth Daily" and other newspapers,a more active Chinese investigative reporting practice and the discourse consciousness for investigative reporting was gradually formed.Besides,a close relationship among reporters engaged in investigative reports contributed to building a primary community of investigative journalists.In help with the discourse construction by the community,the practical experience of investigative reporting was refined into public knowledge for spreading and inheriting.Investigative reporting finally achieved legalization and got widely approved.To understand the complicated process,the paper raises a concept of "structure of journalistic culture",and analyzing the process in the theoretical framework of structure change.Chinese journalism introduced investigative reporting for transforming the lagging paradigm of party newspaper,aimed to reconstruct the credibility and competitiveness of media.Instead of absorbing the original conceptions from the West,investigative reporting has been domesticated in the Chinese political culture context through discourse conversion and resource allocation extra.Even though,the introduction of investigative reporting has irreversibly changed the structure of Chinese journalistic culture,as well as the professionalize transforming of Chinese journalism.