The market, the state and the transformation of China's propaganda: A case study of the party media

Commercialization of the Chinese media since the 1990s has directed the attention of China scholars to the market forces in play, and their implications for transforming the Chinese media. There is a controversy in the academic literature as to the state-market relationship and its impact on the nature of Chinese media transformation.;This thesis attempts to explore the structural transformation of China's media control and propaganda by examining the Party media. Based on Vincent Mosco's Three Entries and Jacques Ellul's propaganda theories, this thesis reformulates an analytical framework with emphasis on commercialization and its impact upon the transformation of Party control and propaganda, which may contribute to better description and understanding of the changing media landscape in China. We may call this the CCP framework (Commercialization, Control and Propaganda). Through examining the transformation of the Chinese media structure and Xinhua News Agency, the biggest Party media organization, this thesis argues that commercialization has not brought about fundamental change of the Chinese media system. Behind the appearance of the expanding media space pushed by market forces is new Party strategy of the press control and efforts to improve propaganda techniques. Market forces are not leading to the lessening of the press control and breakdown of China's propaganda. Rather, they are being harnessed by the Party to maintain the press control and consolidate its propaganda power. Adapting itself to the market and changing Chinese society, the Party is trying to take new strategy of the press control and transform its propaganda models from the old propaganda techniques of agitation to new dimensions of integration. The thesis concludes that the transformation of Party control and propaganda amidst commercialization demonstrates the constitutive and reactive role of the Chinese state. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...