an update on my research

Before continuing I wish to provide an update on the progress in my work.


In order to fully understand the choices China must make in the near future, one must understand how media censorship under the Communist Party works. In an online report from the non-governmental organization Freedom House, Ashley Esarey, a leading political analyst of China’s modernization, examines the current state of China’s media with the assistance of a report published in 2004 by Human Rights in China, another activist NGO. Esarey explains how the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) wields control over news reporting, describing in detail both the structures and procedures of propaganda and the self-censorship that becomes prevalent among all journalists as fear of persecution spreads. More importantly, Esarey adds that China’s movement towards globalization makes availability of information much easier: privatization, consumerism, and access to internet news sources all challenge the CCP dogma.

Anup Shah, an independent researcher involved with several online organizations, including the Institute for Economic Democracy, writes about the media in a post-9/11 United States using his educational experiences in both America and his home country of England. Acknowledging the dangers of an uninformed and oblivious public in an era of globalization, Shah asserts that attention to the news may not even be beneficial today, citing The New York Times’ 2005 investigation into government propagandistic and ersatz news stories. He mentions that both corporate and political powers have caused self-censorship as well, drawing connections to the current situation in China mentioned by Ashley Esarey cited above. Using recent studies on the economics of news media and both the Chomsky-Herman Propaganda Model and the monopoly techniques explained by political scientist Michael Parenti, Shah argues that the focus on advertising, money, and power negates honest and important public education, resulting only in propaganda.

Both links will be posted in the right column of my blog for easy access in the future.

beginnings

With the advent of new technology and a new era of globalization, news spreads much more quickly than it did before. However, even in light of this, freedom of speech and the press may not be as widespread as people believe.

As the People’s Republic of China emerges as a key player in 21st century interactions, it must come to terms with its controversial government’s control over the news and media, in addition to other human rights and social issues that continue to haunt the country as it enters the global spotlight. Chinese media reform is occurring, perhaps under pressure from others. However, the true extent of liberalization remains unclear. With China appearing in the news more frequently, especially with the upcoming 2008 Olympics in Beijing, how will its government leaders respond?

It is equally important to investigate censorship in America, a democracy that prides itself on its freedom of speech and press. Yet because of current censorship today, mostly involving the fight against terrorism overseas, the American press, one can argue, has shifted its focus to more frivolous, gossip-oriented news. It is an extreme viewpoint, but conceivable. As the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq continue, it becomes important to reexamine the role of the media: do Americans get all the information they need, enough for their future generations to continue the country’s role as a world power?

The cultural implications of these differences—one trying to fit in with the crowd, the other shifting focuses—may play a significant part in determining future roles in global relations. It is important to question the role censorship plays in our everyday lives:

• How much of America's news is censored, and has celebrity news been replacing newsworthy stories? How does news from the front lines of the war against terrorism reach our television sets and newspapers at home?
• What role does the American government play in the news media?
• What does corporate ownership of news sources mean for America?
• How is China responding to controversial news topics, especially considering recent coverage of SARS, Avian Bird flu, and lead paint in toys?
• Is China under pressure to lessen the amount of censorship it imposes on its people?