Lecture #1: The Development of Chinese Media Industry and its Impact on Social Change

Thursday July 3^rd we had our first of only three Renmin University lectures. Our lecture started with an introduction from the Vice Chancellor and Chancellor of Renmin University, who has the best journalism school in China. The university has 11,000 grad and undergrad students with 1,600 international students. As an assignment, we had to write a summary and three interesting facts about the lecture; I am posting the summary so you can get an idea of what the lecture was like. Pictured in the Chancellor shaking hands with MU Journalism Study Abroad Coordinator, Fritz Cropp. 

The Three Most Interesting Facts

• MU has had a long history with Renmin University, dating back to 1914
•  Technology is changing daily life in China
• As journalist, we need to report the truth to eliminate misunderstandings 

Professor Gao Gang began his lecture, The Development of Chinese Media Industry and its Impact on the Social Change, with a background of the relationship between the University of Missouri and Renmin University, which dates back to 1914. Prof. Gang then gave the statistics of Chinese media: 1,935 newspapers, 9,386 magazines, 282 radio stations, 314 TV stations, and 1.5 million websites. The lecture then moved into how technologies such as the Internet and cell phones are impacting society and the news media. As of June 2008 there were 221 million Chinese Internet users, with that number increasing by 200,000 people every day- a majority of those people being from rural areas. News medias have effectively infiltrated the Internet and in 2004 began to enter the market of getting news to citizens via cell phones, a technology which has been advanced for easy access for PDA’s. In addition to the technology craze, there are 4,000 magazines that are offered solely in electronic form. 

            With technological advances there have been trends leading towards media convergence. As a whole, Prof. Gang sees media convergence as something positive; a dynamic process that optimizes traditional media and helps to meet citizens personalized information demands. The five main driving forces of media technology are the desire for information, opportunity for expression, supervision of government officials by ordinary citizens, participation in society and adjustment of information between media outlets to find out for oneself the real truth.

There are a lot of changes being made by the Chinese government when it comes to suppressing the media, especially reporters. From experience the government has learned that when reporters are not allowed to see and report on a major event personally, they are more likely to report information incorrectly which perpetuates a misunderstandings of other cultures. These misunderstandings cause stereotypes and give China, especially the government, a negative image internationally. Prof. Gang’s final message here was that we as reporters must be as honest and truthful as possible and visit other places to find commonalities between cultures to eliminate misunderstandings. The lecture ended with Walter William’s mission statement to, “promote international good will and cementing world comradeships is a journalism of humanity, of and for today’s world.”