Media Spirit: High-Level Interpretation of Media

Author: Wang Yongliang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: "Celebrities have replaced role models, beautiful women have pushed scholars aside, rumors have taken the place of facts, entertainment has overshadowed culture, and vulgarity has overwhelmed dignity," as some audience members describe the style of some media outlets in contemporary China. A vulgar trend pervasive in news reporting has been listed alongside paid news, false reporting, and harmful advertisements as the "Four Major Public Plagues" of China's media industry, drawing strong criticism from all sectors of society. The reality prompts deep reflection: How can the media shape its own image? People earnestly call on the media to "have some spirit," which reminds us of Mao Zedong's praise for the spirit of "selfless and dedicated to others" in his essay "In Memory of Bethune," 65 years ago. Generally speaking, spirit always resonates with the "Three Represents." There are those named after individuals, like the Lei Feng Spirit; those named after teams, like the Spirit of the "Eight Good Companies"; those named after places, like the Yan'an Spirit; and those named after events, like the Long March Spirit. All of these spirits have been passed down through generations, remaining ever-relevant, and embodying a powerful driving force that propels the construction of the "Three Civilizations" to new heights. So, what is the spirit of the media? Or, what spirit should the media possess? On this, the book interprets: the spirit of truth-seeking from historians, the spirit of innovation from entrepreneurs, and the spirit of humanism from politicians collectively forge the spirit of the media.