Covering Tibet: The prejudices of two British newspapers

Introduction

‘Successful newspapers reinforce the prejudices of their readers’. Using simplified sociological perceptions and some additional inferences, I discuss this in the context of two contrasting national titles, namely Financial Times and The Independent, and analyse what seems to be the prejudices, attitudes and editorial mindsets of each. The illustration is based on how the biases are demonstrated in specific items taken from issues of each paper and the explanation of possible reasons.

 

My research proposal

The development and limitations of citizen journalism in China

Research purpose

Citizen journalism is starting to pick up in China – at least in certain quarters. But when we correlate citizen journalism to China we’ll surely be confronted with such a mixed picture which suggests that a more nuanced theoretical approach to the relationship between the Internet and people is required, one that gives due attention not only to the properties of specific technologies qua technologies, but also to the political, social, and cultural context in which they are deployed. Moreover, with the Chinese-language Internet soon to become the largest part of the global Internet, we need more bridges, more collaboration, more dialogue, and better understanding. With the development of technology, citizen journalism will introduce fresh voices into the national discourse on various topics, and help build communities of interest through their collective resources.

 

A Twisted Doughnut of Panopticon: CCTV’s New Headquarters

The new headquarters of China Central TV are under smooth construction and ‘loving care’ of the Communist Party. According to The Economist (Dec 2007), for more than a year, passers-by have watched the 230-metre towers creep up at a perilous six-degree angle. It is one of the world’s biggest and most ambitious buildings, of ten described as a twisted doughnut with two leaning towers connected by an impossible looking L-shaped overhang.

 

Edwin Maher: A friendship representative or betrayer of Journalsim?

Edwin Maher, an Australian weatherman who was working for ABC over 20 years, suddenly disappeared from the screen and joined China Central TV Channel 9 in 2003. He is the first foreign reporter who read the news for Chinese audience, which has induced a lot of taunts and reproaching from western media. Some critics viciously described him as “News Betrayer” and “Voice of CCP”. Los Angeles Times recently published a long article about Maher. He indicated that he is very angry as to the unreasonable assaults from western media and will be unperturbed towards those attacks and jibes. He said to the reporter: “I don’t really care.”

Last week, Maher had been awarded the Friendship Medal by China Central TV.

 

Facebook and its Chinese version: Is that possible?

According to News Media Age (nma.co.uk Dec,4) Facebook has sold $60 (£29m) stake to Hong Kong billionare Li Ka-shing, who was also behind mobile network 3.

The deal, accounting for 0.4% of the company, marks the second stake to be sold in Facebook. Microsoft bought a 1.6% share in the company for $240m (£117m) in October this year. The move will fuel speculation that Facebook is looking to break into the Chinese ad market because Ka-shing’s Hong Kong-based media company TOM Group operates in this market….