China News Communication Studies Research Latest Report (2006)

Author: Tong Bing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The mission of New Report on Chinese Journalism and Communication Studies (2006) is to provide a panoramic view of the research landscape in China's university journalism and communication disciplines over the past year—2005. The compilation of this report was inspired by several considerations. After the establishment of the National Innovation Base for Philosophy and Social Sciences Research on Journalism, Communication, and Media Society at Fudan University, I was appointed as its first director. I was eager to collect, organize, and analyze the progress and major academic achievements of journalism and communication studies research across the country's university system, publishing an annual book to review the work of this team, which constitutes 80% of the researchers and outputs in the discipline nationwide, and showcase their findings. Since 2005, the Division of Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education has been compiling the Blue Book of Philosophy and Social Sciences Research in Chinese Universities annually, gathering experts from over ten disciplines. As a representative expert in the field of journalism and communication studies, I was fortunate to participate in this initiative. Due to space constraints, each discipline's report in the Blue Book is limited to 10,000–20,000 words, making it possible only to provide a brief overview rather than a comprehensive display of the discipline's thriving research and substantial achievements.
Starting in 2004, while teaching the doctoral course Frontiers of Journalism and Communication Studies at Fudan University's School of Journalism, I annually assigned students to write review reports on a specific aspect of the year's research in the field. Most students took this assignment very seriously, gathering extensive materials and delivering analyses that were both thorough and valuable. In fact, many of these reports have been recognized for their worth and have been published in academic journals. Some research institutions and publishers collaborate annually to produce Blue Books on media and communication industry development, but no comprehensive Blue Book has yet been organized for the entire field of journalism and communication studies. Thus, the idea of compiling this New Report, which comprehensively reflects the research trends of the past year and organizes the perspectives of representative papers, was born.
The process of compiling this New Report is as follows: First, each student selects a topic of interest, conducts extensive research from journal databases and academic publications, and organizes and distills the main arguments of key authors, writing a preliminary draft. The editor reviews these drafts and provides feedback, which the students then supplement, revise, and refine. Based on these preliminary drafts, the editor and deputy editor incorporate additional literature and materials to write the main report. This report has been submitted to the editor-in-chief of the Blue Book on Philosophy and Social Sciences Research in Chinese Universities, sponsored by the Ministry of Education, and will be included as part of that publication. After revisions and supplements, it will also serve as the main report for this book. Together with each individual report, it forms the core content of this book.
As the editor of this book, I believe its value lies in the fact that dozens of doctoral students (some of whom are already professors or associate professors, and one is a postdoctoral researcher) spent three months conducting thorough research and analysis, followed by multiple rounds of revisions. It has largely covered the major research papers published by faculty and students in journalism and communication studies at universities over the past year. The main report also includes an analysis of the key books published and papers presented at major academic conferences during the same period. Presenting a comprehensive and faithful account of the research status and academic achievements should be a distinctive feature of this report and its primary value. This feature makes it convenient for national authorities, academic institutions, and scholars in philosophy and social sciences to review the research status and achievements in journalism and communication studies at universities, as well as to report and showcase our academic accomplishments. It also serves as a valuable reference for faculty and students in the field.
Despite its strengths, this report has shortcomings and limitations. Due to the fact that dozens of doctoral students were assigned to write individual reports, though multiple rounds of revisions were made and the editor oversaw the process, inconsistencies in the depth of analysis, the level of detail in presenting arguments, and writing styles remain. Additionally, certain essential sections were omitted during the compilation process, and some authors were rushed to complete their contributions, though a few gaps may still exist. Some reports were submitted early, while a few academic journals did not send their final issues until spring, meaning some influential papers by key authors may not have been included.
In summary, as this is the first time we have engaged so many authors in such a large-scale "project" and lack experience, we sincerely ask relevant experts and readers for criticism and understanding. We are confident that with your guidance and encouragement, we will work even harder to produce an even better New Report in 2007.
Currently, this New Report primarily focuses on the research status and achievements of journalism and communication studies in Chinese universities. When it comes to identifying the identities of individual authors, it generally includes contributions that are difficult to ascertain. Due to limitations, it does not cover research from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. In the future, we aim to include the research status and achievements of non-university systems and regions like Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. Moreover, according to my vision, this New Report will also include the research progress and representative academic achievements of journalism and communication studies in major countries around the world. This part of the work will be completed in collaboration with overseas scholars. With Fudan University's School of Journalism's rich overseas resources and numerous international connections, we should be able to accomplish this task without difficulty. We will actively plan and pursue this vision.
We are determined to double our efforts to make this New Report a brand for our National Innovation Base and School of Journalism. This is pioneering work and a significant achievement of our base. As the director of the base and the instructor for the 2005 doctoral cohort, I have learned much from the young people in leading this New Report, which has once again deepened my understanding of the profound meaning of the saying "teaching and learning are mutual benefits." On the occasion of this book's publication, I would like to extend my gratitude to the young scholars for their contributions and to the numerous scholars whose works have been reviewed in this report. I also extend my sincere thanks to the faculty of Fudan University's School of Journalism for their support of this initiative.
Finally, I would like to send a warm greeting to my two doctoral students, Zhang Xiaofeng and Ma Huiying, who assisted me in completing this year's New Report.