Chen Lidan's Selected Works -- News Concepts: From Tradition to Modernity

Author: Chen Lidan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: This series of "Selected Works by Famous Scholars in Journalism and Communication" 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 century, journalism and communication studies were elevated to the status of a first-tier discipline. Since the new century, hundreds of books and thousands of academic papers on journalism and communication have been published every year. The scientific research and discipline development in journalism and communication 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 academia. They were pioneers in the research and education of journalism 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 development through a combination of historical 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 volume 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. First, it examines the research achievements of the new generation of academic leaders in journalism and communication, showcasing the new level of discipline development that is continuously deepening and expanding. Second, it systematically introduces the research fields and representative works of new leading figures in journalism and communication, fostering communication and mutual complementarity between the discipline and other humanities and social sciences. Third, it provides a platform for young scholars in journalism and communication 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, making it quite difficult to access them. Publishing a collection can offer 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. 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 lacking experience in editing such a series, we plan to start with the first volume, inviting eight renowned scholars. Since this is a "self-selected" series, it should fully reflect the individual styles of the authors. However, as part of a series, there should be some commonalities or similarities. After discussions among the eight authors, the following requirements are adopted for the individual selected volumes in the series: First, respect the original historical context, making minimal changes to the selected articles, such as correcting typos, while preserving the essence of the content. Second, each volume 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 volume will be approximately 300,000 to 350,000 words in length.
At the end, as the editor, I would like to represent the eight selected authors in expressing our respect to our mentors. Without their cultivation, we would not have achieved what we have today. We extend our greetings to our students, whose diligence and achievements demonstrate the value of our work. We express our gratitude to the leadership and editors of Fudan University Press, whose support and opportunities enabled us to publish this selected series and reflect on our journey. We eagerly await the readers' feedback on this series and will strive to make future volumes even better. Journalism and communication is an emerging discipline 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. Through the efforts of scholars in journalism and communication, the discipline has evolved from being dismissed by some industry professionals as "a discipline without a discipline" to becoming a "prominent discipline." In the national discipline catalog, it has transitioned from a secondary discipline under Chinese language and literature to an independent first-tier discipline. The past two decades since the reform and opening up have been a period of rapid development for journalism and communication in China. Theories of journalism, the history of journalism, press law, journalistic ethics, radio and television, and public opinion 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, while integrating with journalism internally, achieving significant growth. Research on fundamental theories of communication, critical theories of communication, as well as communication and public opinion studies, semiotics, new media, and media economics have garnered attention. Journalism and communication have entered a stage of integration with other humanities and social sciences, characterized by multidimensional academic development. The current prosperity and growth of journalism and communication in China 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 in China has passed down the torch, with each generation leading the field for several years. Among them, the outstanding figures have all been considered "famous scholars" and have contributed to the prosperity and development of journalism and communication in China. The authors included in this series are the new generation of "famous scholars" in Chinese journalism and communication who emerged after the 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 one aspect, and are renowned scholars with extensive knowledge and influence. Compared to their predecessors, the "famous scholars" of this generation possess the following characteristics: (1) A solid foundation in humanities theory; (2) A reasonable and comprehensive knowledge structure; (3) Up-to-date knowledge of disciplinary frontiers; (4) Active and innovative thinking, avoiding rigidity and self-imposed limitations; (5) Exposure to the reforms and opening up, as well as the integration of Chinese and Western cultures, resulting in a broad academic perspective. They are a generation of innovators and those who surpass their predecessors. It is a good publishing idea to have the "famous scholars" in journalism and communication publish "self-selected" volumes. First, all the works are by "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 the 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 misguiding readers and students, while also 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" and believe it will receive the attention and welcome of journalism and communication scholars and students both in China and abroad.