Power and Embarrassment: A Study on the Reform of China's Radio and Television System

Author: Deng Jinxin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: This book applies the theories and methods of new political economy and institutional economics, combining the historical development of the economic structure of the broadcasting industry with the policy analysis of the news and publicity system, to reveal the unique challenges of broadcasting system reform compared to general economic system reforms. It is a powerful work dedicated to reflecting on China's broadcasting system reform. Senior scholars of communication studies, Professor Cao Lu and Professor Chen Weixing, have specifically written prefaces and recommendations for the book, pointing out that as a "bottleneck issue in broadcasting reform," the book is "thoroughly researched," "not only sets itself apart from the prevailing superficial academic trends, but also demonstrates a strong grasp of the issue at hand, reaching a new academic height in terms of theoretical methods and logical reasoning." For a period of time, reflection on reform has become a focal point of discussion. The monograph by Professor Deng Jinxin before us is also a powerful work dedicated to reflecting on China's broadcasting system. The author possesses considerable professional expertise—why undertake this research? This stems from a confusion that is not limited to the author personally, that is, based on the historical experience of the Chinese revolution, any major historical transformation in society cannot be separated from the role of mass media in information dissemination, communication coordination, and public opinion presentation. Looking back at more than two decades of economic reform, the author finds that the mass media industry and its system reform have never occupied a priority position in China's reform agenda during the reform period. As an important industry involved in and promoting reform, its own reform has always been passive—a contradiction. This issue clearly captures a key point in the reform process, that is, can the power of reform itself also become an object of reform? Unlike the endless writings on the economic efficiency of mass media since the end of the last century, the author's research takes a unique approach, starting from the historical formation and evolution of the operational mechanisms of the media industry, thereby presenting the targeting and case-based nature of the research: from the institutional environment to the characteristics of the media, from the media ecosystem to identity transformation, from the legal framework to institutional constraints, from business processes to theoretical tracking, the author argues with ease and meticulous research. This not only sets itself apart from the prevailing superficial academic trends but also highlights the strong grasp of the issue at hand, reaching a new academic height in terms of theoretical methods and logical reasoning. The research object of this book is the development and changes of China's broadcasting system reform since the reform and opening-up. To conduct a comprehensive examination and analysis, and to clearly present the process and results of the research, the book adopts a structural approach that combines vertical historical summaries with horizontal cross-sectional speculative discussions. In this interwoven extension process, it incorporates social, political, economic, and communication perspectives. The purpose of this research is not to propose definitive conclusions or utilitarian countermeasures, but to construct a perspective framework for observing and understanding the operation of China's broadcasting system reform during the period of social transformation. Whether this effort is successful remains to be seen.