Yin Hong: Selected Works -- Medium Landscape. Chinese Images

Author: Yin Hong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: This series of "Selected Works by Famous 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 original intention, selection criteria, and editorial principles. In the early 1980s, shortly after the Cultural Revolution, representatives who once advocated "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 research in journalism and communication studies resumed. At the turn of the new century, journalism and communication studies were elevated to the status of a first-tier discipline. Since the beginning of the new century, hundreds of books and thousands of academic papers on journalism and communication studies have been published every year. Scientific research and discipline construction in journalism and communication studies have entered a true golden age. With the deepening of research and the continuous extension of secondary and tertiary disciplines, a group of influential academic leaders emerged. Among them are Wang Zhong, Gan Qifen, Li Longmu, Fang Hanqi, Zhang Longdong, Ning Shufan, Ding Ganlin, and Zhao Yuming—veteran scholars in the field. They are the pioneers and trailblazers of journalism research and education in New China. Some proposed new theoretical systems, some authored numerous works, some introduced new theories of journalism and communication to the Chinese public earlier, and some promoted discipline construction through a combination of historical analysis and theoretical research. Under their mentorship, a new generation 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 while making 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 famous 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 reached by the discipline, which is continuously deepening and expanding. Second, it systematically introduces the research fields and representative works of new leaders in the field, promoting communication and complementarity between journalism and communication studies and other humanities and social sciences. Third, it provides a platform for young students in journalism and communication studies to understand the academic views and research methods of their mentors. Due to various reasons, there are few and scattered journals publishing academic papers in journalism and communication studies, 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 in 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 our lack of experience in editing such series, we plan to start with the first issue, inviting eight renowned scholars. Since this is a self-selected series, it should reflect the individual styles of the authors. However, as part of a series, there should be some similarities or consistencies. After discussions among the eight authors, the following requirements have been agreed upon for the individual selected works in the series: First, respect the original form of the historical context, making only minor technical edits such as correcting typos. Second, each book will include a photograph of the author, an academic profile, and an interview-style text where the author discusses their experiences, insights, and reflections on their academic journey. Third, each book will be approximately 300,000 to 350,000 words in length.
At the end, as the editor, I want to represent the eight selected authors in expressing our respect to our mentors. Without their cultivation, we would not be where we are today. We extend our greetings to our students, whose diligence and achievements demonstrate the value of our work. We thank the leaders and editors of Fudan University Press for providing the platform and opportunities that allowed us, as 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 issues 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 research on communication has also garnered widespread attention and study for nearly three decades. Thanks to the efforts of scholars in the field, Chinese journalism and communication studies have evolved from being dismissed by some in the industry as "a discipline without a discipline" to becoming a "discipline of prominence." In the national discipline catalog, it has transitioned from being a secondary discipline under Chinese language and literature to becoming an independent first-tier discipline. The past two decades since the reform and opening up have been a period of rapid development for Chinese journalism and communication studies. Theories of journalism, the history of journalism, press law, journalistic ethics, radio and television, and public supervision have been comprehensively explored. Research on 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 growth. Research on basic theories of communication, critical theories of communication, as well as communication and public opinion studies, semiotics, new media, and media economics have all garnered attention. Journalism and communication studies have entered a stage of integration with other humanities and social sciences, with multidisciplinary 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 field of Chinese journalism and communication studies has passed down the torch, with each generation leading the way for several years. Among them, the outstanding figures are all considered "famous scholars" and have contributed to the prosperity and development of the discipline. The authors included in this series are the new generation of "famous scholars" in Chinese journalism and communication studies who emerged after the reform and opening up. Most of them come from universities or other teaching and research positions, are leaders in specific aspects of the contemporary field of journalism and communication studies, and are outstanding scholars with deep expertise and a strong reputation. Compared to their predecessors, the "famous scholars" 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 the forefront of the discipline; (4) Active minds, avoiding rigid adherence to tradition or self-imposed limitations; (5) Exposure to the reforms and opening up, as well as the integration of Chinese and Western cultures, resulting in a broader academic perspective. They are a generation of innovators and, in many ways, surpass their predecessors.
It is a good publishing idea to have "famous scholars" in journalism and communication studies publish "self-selected works." First, all works come from "famous scholars," ensuring a certain level of quality and avoiding the confusion or misjudgment that can arise from selecting among numerous new publications. Second, all works are "self-selected," meaning the selected works are necessarily personal treasures that the authors deem worthy of being passed down. This avoids the waste of resources and misguidance of others, significantly reducing 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 Famous 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.