Introduction to Theoretical Journalism and Communication

Author: Tong Bing
Editor-in-Chief: Chen Ping
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-01-01
Features:
Fragment: Western views on the origin of news had a profound and widespread influence on Chinese journalism scholars in the 1930s and 1940s. The aforementioned Ren Baitao is one example, and many other scholars were similarly affected. For instance, Liu Yuanzhao, in A Talk on Journalism, expressed it as follows: When we discuss the origin of news, we must mention the issue of "the desire for news." The occurrence of news is indeed rooted in "the desire for news." The instinct of humans is rich in "the desire for news." Without it, humans would never have evolved, and culture would never have developed. The "desire for news" arises from three psychological motivations: "the desire to know," "the desire to let others know," and "the desire to be known." This desire for news emerged in the primitive era of humans. It accompanies every individual from the moment they are born. For example, when a baby is newly born, they cry out in a series of wails. This crying is the effect of "the desire for news." When they are suddenly dropped from the womb into the world, they find everything around them strange and uncomfortable, so they cry. The crying is their way of "letting others know" that they are uncomfortable. ① Liu Yuanzhao's arguments require scientific substantiation, and some of his analyses may not be entirely accurate. However, his arguments clearly demonstrate the influence of Western journalism scholars.
II. On the "theory of gregariousness" and the "theory of curiosity" regarding the origin of news, idealists or incomplete materialists differ from revolutionary materialists in their understanding. Japanese journalism scholars, when explaining the formation of newspapers and the origin of news, expressed the following famous views: Psychologists, when discussing the basic instinct of the desire to know, first mention the instinct of curiosity. Therefore, we can say that the instinct of curiosity is the fundamental psychological condition for the formation of newspapers. According to psychologists, interaction is a derivative process that arises from the reflection of the instinct of gregariousness. In other words, a causal relationship is formed between the instinct of gregariousness and the exchange of minds, and the provision of experience is based on the instinct of gregariousness. Therefore, the instinct of gregariousness and the instinct of curiosity hold equal value; it is also a fundamental condition for the formation of newspapers. Thus, the fundamental conditions for the formation of newspapers are the instinct of curiosity and the instinct of gregariousness. If we examine the surface phenomena of human communication behavior, the above views may not be entirely without merit: as long as the senses for receiving news and information are in normal condition, who is not interested in news and information? For people in a gregarious state, interpersonal and community communication not only become necessary but also possible. In real life, people all have a desire for news. A village resident who has rarely left home, after visiting the capital, will have the entire village gather around in layers to hear him recount the fresh stories of the city. At the end of the summer vacation, classmates from all over the country return to school, and on the first night, they talk about the new and strange things from their hometowns until deep into the night. You say, who lacks curiosity? Since humans diverged from the primate branch of mammals, they have always lived in a gregarious state. Not to mention the millions of people living together in communities in big cities, even in vast rural areas, there are villages every ten miles and hamlets every five miles. It is this gregariousness that facilitates the transmission and reception of news and information. Therefore, some scholars argue convincingly: the psychological state of gregariousness and curiosity stimulates the emergence of news communication behavior.
However, if our research is not merely limited to the examination of surface phenomena but delves deeper into the motivations behind the satisfaction of the desire for news and gregariousness: why do humans exhibit gregariousness? Why do they have curiosity about news and information? Then, we can truly understand the fundamental driving force behind the occurrence of communication behavior. If a person comes into the world and is able to live and work with others, rather than living in isolation, and finds it happier, more convenient, and safer than living with many people, this person may not feel the need for gregariousness. But real life tells him that once he is separated from others, he cannot overcome the powerful forces of nature or the various beasts, cannot avoid the harm of warfare between other tribes, and cannot overcome difficulties and disasters beyond his reach. Gregariousness is precisely the common need for human survival and development. Therefore, it is the fundamental need for human survival and development that gives rise to gregariousness, and gregariousness, in turn, necessitates mutual communication and exchange. Survival and development are the essential motivations for human communication, i.e., news communication behavior. Thus, Marx pointed out: human interaction is a part of human life, and the essence of humans lies in their true social connections. Here, the instinct of gregariousness becomes a mediating and secondary cause of the emergence of communication behavior, rather than an essential and original one. Explaining the occurrence of news communication behavior with the "theory of gregariousness" is merely an analysis of the phenomenon ands the original and essential examination, and thus cannot be a thoroughly materialistic viewpoint.
Postscript: Whenever an author finishes writing the last word of a book and puts a period on it, they invariably feel a sense of relief and are bound to have many things to say to the future readers of the book. As an ordinary person, I am no exception. The writing plan for this book was finalized by the editor-in-chief Chen Ping during my teaching in Hong Kong in the first half of the year, with the approval of the chief editor Yang Geng. I am deeply grateful for this. However, after returning to Beijing, I was faced with a series of tasks. First, I completed An Outline of Comparative Study of Chinese and Western Journalism, then I finished writing the theoretical volume of a century of Chinese journalism studies. Just as I began working on this book, the graduate school assigned me another task—to complete a national examination syllabus and guide for the master's degree equivalency exam within two months, and I was asked to lead the project by the School of Journalism. Balancing public and private responsibilities, people of our age are accustomed to prioritizing public matters. I had to set aside the book I had already started and devote myself entirely to the task assigned by the graduate school. The writing of this book took three months, but it poured out the thoughts I had dedicated to researching and teaching theoretical journalism and communication for over twenty years. Since I began studying under Professor Gan Xifen for two degrees, I have always adhered to the principle of using my own research methods and academic language to articulate my academic insights. Whether I was praised or criticized, I have remained unchanged year after year. The completion of this book is due to two people: my wife, Professor Lin Han, and the editor-in-chief Chen Ping. Without these two urging me from behind, my soft-hearted self would surely have hesitated to attend to friends here and there, delaying the writing of this book until who knows when. Chen Ping's phone calls were immensely intimidating. Several calls made me strengthen my sense of urgency. My wife, despite her status as a professor, read the manuscript, typed it, proofread it, and searched for references, rising early and working late every day. She didn’t care: "Just hand the manuscript to Chen Ping on time. No need for any fancy words." I hope that the publication of this book and its social response can make up for a little of my humility toward the two of them. Tong Bing
December 5, 1999, at the Yinchun Garden Residence in Beijing.