Rule of Law and Self-Discipline: An Analysis of the Boundaries and Structure of News Interview Rights

Author: Xu Jiabiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: "The spirit is novelty without fixed rules" can be roughly summarized as the main purpose and intention of the planners, authors, and publishers of the "Fudan 'Guanghua' Young Scholars Series in Journalism and Communication Studies." As an independent branch of humanities, journalism and communication studies have been in existence for less than a century. However, in recent years, especially since China's reform and opening-up, the discipline has risen from a secondary to a primary discipline. The various sub-disciplines under it, such as the history and theory of journalism and communication, practical journalism and communication, management of news media, broadcasting and television studies, advertising studies, public relations studies, and comparative journalism and communication, have produced an overwhelming number of books and textbooks globally, almost beyond count. But there is no need to avoid the fact that the rapid development of journalism and communication education and the industry of news media, which are closely linked to our discipline, has not only driven the deepening of discipline construction but also inevitably brought about superficiality and shallowness. The low-level and simplistic repetition in the writing of journalism and communication books and papers is more serious compared to other disciplines. Adding to this, the influence of improper commercial practices and decadent social trends in recent years has further negatively impacted journalism and communication research. It is precisely in this atmosphere and environment that a group of young scholars from Fudan's School of Journalism, united by a shared vision, have jointly launched this series of books, which holds great significance and is truly commendable. Some of them remain to teach at the School of Journalism, others have already taken teaching positions at other universities, and some work at journalism academic journals. Most of them, "with elders above and children below," bear the heavy burdens of both teaching and social work. Yet they remain steadfast in their pursuit of knowledge, undeterred by hardships. What is even more admirable is that they refuse to settle for the ordinary and are willing to tackle difficult challenges. The topics selected for the series are all quite challenging. Some of these topics are new areas in the discipline of journalism and communication studies that urgently need deeper exploration, others are new explorations in interdisciplinary research, some attempt to use new methods like ethnography to interpret new research subjects, and others are major issues that demand breakthroughs in the current reform of the news media system. It is believed that after the publication of this series, it will certainly spark a lively response in academia. Over the years, many series, collections, and series of books in the field of journalism and communication have been published, most of which are written by middle-aged or elderly scholars or led by so-called "authority scholars." This series, however, is different—it is entirely written by Ph.D. holders (with a few currently pursuing their Ph.D. degrees). These young scholars are mostly leaders of their respective departments, such as deans, department heads, or leaders of teaching and research divisions, with mature academic perspectives and strong research capabilities. Especially in their sensitivity to new phenomena in journalism and communication, their ability to embrace new knowledge from abroad, and their mastery of new research methods, they each have unique insights. They are not accustomed to following the old path and do not like to repeat others' ideas and conclusions. They cannot be confined within old viewpoints, old thinking, or old frameworks. The phrase "The spirit is novelty without fixed rules" truly and extremely accurately depicts the spirit, theoretical courage, and academic style of these young scholars. The series is named "Fudan 'Guanghua'." "Guanghua" is the spiritual origin of Fudan's name. In the "Book of Documents·Yuxia Bo," it is said, "The sun and moon shine with brilliance, and Fudan rises in the morning." "Guanghua" refers not only to brilliance but also to inheriting tradition and promoting it to greater heights. This group of young students has named their series "Fudan 'Guanghua'," expressing through concrete actions their love for their alma mater and their aspirations for self-improvement. The publication of this series serves as a test of the guiding principles, teaching policies, and training methods for postgraduate education in journalism and communication studies in China, as well as an evaluation of Fudan's doctoral training program in journalism and communication, its guidance methods, and teaching quality. Ten doctoral students, who have only held their degrees for one or two years, have suddenly produced ten monographs—this is truly quite remarkable. Moreover, the topics of these books are aimed at the forefront of academia and are of considerable difficulty. If these books can gain popularity among readers after entering the market, they will not only have social benefits but also economic benefits, which would truly be a "new development." These books and the doctoral students who wrote them set an example for those currently pursuing their Ph.D. degrees in school, as well as for more master's and undergraduate students, on how to，，，. The features of this "Young Scholars Series in Journalism and Communication Studies" are extensive topics—covering media and politics, media and culture, media and society, media management and operations, media law and ethics, and media and audiences; appropriate methods—combining speculation with empirical research, integrating diverse approaches, and drawing from various strengths; and significant meaning—both in that the topics explored are urgent issues and in that the viewpoints and conclusions presented are enlightening.