Yin Hong: Selected Works: Media Landscape · Chinese Images

Author: Yin Hong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-09-01
Features: This series of "Selected Works by Leading Scholars in Journalism and Communication Studies" is prefaced by the esteemed academician Fang Hanqi, and no further introduction is needed from the editor. Here, I will briefly discuss the creative (: original intention), selection criteria, and editorial principles.
In the early 1980s, shortly after the Cultural Revolution, representatives who once advocated for "journalism without a discipline" retracted their ignorance. The Beijing Journalism Society and the China Journalism Education Society were established one after another. In this favorable atmosphere, the long-interrupted study of journalism and communication studies resumed. At the turn of the centuries, journalism and communication studies were elevated to the status of a first-tier discipline. Since the new century, hundreds of books on journalism and communication studies have been published each year, and thousands of academic papers have been published. The scientific research and discipline construction of journalism and communication studies have entered a true golden period.
With the deepening of journalism and communication studies and the continuous extension of second and third-tier disciplines, a group of influential academic leaders emerged. Among them are Wang Zhong, Gan Xifen, Li Longmu, Fang Hanqi, Zhang Longdong, Ning Shufan, Ding Ganlin, and Zhao Yuming—esteemed pioneers in the study and education of journalism in New China. Some proposed innovative theoretical systems, some authored numerous works, some introduced new theories of journalism and communication to the Chinese people earlier, and some promoted discipline construction through a combination of historical and theoretical research. Under their mentorship, a new generation of scholars has emerged.
The new generation of leaders emerged in the tide of reform and opening up. Building upon the theories, knowledge, and methods of their predecessors, they made new breakthroughs and developments. The eight authors in this selected works series are among the first representatives.
There are several reasons for editing and publishing this series of selected works by leading scholars in journalism and communication studies. First, it reviews the research achievements of the new generation of academic leaders in journalism and communication studies, showcasing the new level of discipline construction that has been continuously deepened and expanded. Second, it systematically introduces the research fields and representative achievements of new leading scholars in journalism and communication studies, promoting communication and complementarity between the discipline of journalism and communication studies and other humanities and social sciences. Third, it provides a platform for young students of journalism and communication studies to understand the academic views and research methods of their mentors. Due to various reasons, journals publishing academic papers in journalism and communication studies are both scarce and scattered, making it quite difficult to read them. Publishing a collection can provide some convenience.
For the invited scholars selected for this series, there are several considerations. First, they are leading figures in a specific professional field or research direction of journalism and communication studies. Second, they have a certain national influence. Third, they are active doctoral supervisors. Fourth, they have a relatively broad readership. Given that there are dozens of scholars nationwide who meet these criteria, and with no prior experience in editing such a series, we plan to start with the first installment, inviting eight distinguished scholars.
Since this is a selected works series, it naturally reflects the individual styles of the authors. However, as part of a series, it also needs to have similarities or consistencies. After discussions among the eight authors, the following requirements were agreed upon for the series:
1. Respect the original form of the articles, making only minor technical edits such as correcting typos.
2. Each book will include a photograph of the author, an academic profile, and an interview-style text where the author discusses their academic experiences, insights, and reflections.
3. Each book will be approximately 300,000 to 350,000 words in length.
At the end, as the editor, I would like to represent the eight invited authors in expressing our respect to our mentors. Without their cultivation, we would not have achieved what we have today. We extend greetings to our students, whose diligence and achievements demonstrate the value of our work. We express our gratitude to the leaders and editors of Fudan University Press, as it is their provision of space and opportunities that allowed us, these scholars, to publish this selected works series and reflect on our journey. We quietly await the readers' criticism of this series. We will improve future installments based on readers' feedback.
Journalism and communication studies are emerging disciplines among the many fields of humanities and social sciences. In China, the study of journalism has a history of nearly a century, and the attention and research on communication have also spanned nearly three decades. Thanks to the efforts of scholars in journalism and communication studies, the discipline has transformed from being dismissed by some in the industry as "a discipline without a discipline" to becoming a "prestigious discipline." In the national discipline catalog, it has evolved from a secondary discipline subordinate to Chinese language and literature to an independent first-tier discipline.
The past two decades since reform and opening up have been a period of rapid development for journalism and communication studies in China. Theories of journalism, the history of journalism, media law, journalistic ethics, radio and television, and public supervision have been comprehensively explored. The study of journalistic theory has expanded from pure party newspaper theory to general journalistic theory. The study of communication has permeated sociology, psychology, anthropology, law, and economics externally, and integrated with journalism internally, achieving significant progress. Research on basic theories of communication, critical theories of communication, and studies on communication and public opinion, semiotics, have garnered attention. The study of new media and media economics has also become a hot topic.
Journalism and communication studies have entered a stage of integration with other humanities and social sciences, with multidimensional academic development. The current prosperity and development of Chinese journalism and communication studies are the result of the hard work of several generations of scholars. From the early 20th century to the present, the academic community of journalism and communication studies in China has passed down the torch, with each generation leading the field for several years. Among them, the outstanding figures are all considered masters and have contributed to the prosperity and development of Chinese journalism and communication studies.
The authors included in this series are the new generation of "masters" of Chinese journalism and communication studies who emerged after reform and opening up. Most of them come from universities or other teaching and research positions, are leading figures in contemporary journalism and communication studies in a particular field, and are distinguished scholars with extensive knowledge and a strong reputation. Compared to their predecessors, the "masters" of this generation have the following characteristics:
(1) A solid foundation in humanities theory;
(2) A reasonable and comprehensive knowledge structure;
(3) Necessary knowledge of cutting-edge disciplines;
(4) Active minds, unbound by tradition, and not confined to their own cocoons;
(5) Exposure to reform and opening up and the integration of Chinese and Western cultures, with a broad academic perspective.
They are a generation of innovators and, in many ways, surpass their predecessors.
It is a good publishing initiative to have the "masters" of journalism and communication studies publish "selected works." First, all are from "masters," ensuring a certain guarantee of quality, avoiding the confusion or misjudgment that can arise from selecting among the numerous new specialized works. Second, all are from "selected works," meaning the selected works must be personal treasures that the authors believe can be passed down through the ages. This avoids wasting resources or misleading readers and students, and also greatly reduces the financial burden on readers and students. This will be highly beneficial for society, academia, and cultural development.
I congratulate the publication of this series of "Selected Works by Leading Scholars in Journalism and Communication Studies" and believe it will certainly attract the attention and welcome of journalism and communication scholars and students both at home and abroad.