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HOW AMERICAN STUDENT JOURNALISTS AT A COLLEGE NEWSPAPER CONSUME, PERCEIVE, AND DISSEMINATE NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT CHINA

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Date Issued:
2008
Abstract/Description:
With the increase of cooperation between America and China, the average person's perception of the other country could be an important factor that influences the development of the relationship between these countries. This study was designed to explore how Americans student journalists view China and how these student journalists select the news for a campus newspaper that might influence their readers' perceptions of China. Student journalists not only represent American youth but also act as connectors and filters between a huge flow of information outside and students on campus. A convenience census sample of student journalists at a campus newspaper were surveyed and interviewed. The results showed that although Americans student journalists know more about China than before, Orientalism is still alive in their perceptions and representations of China. They have both strange "Other" and romantic images about China. They view China as a communist evil with less democracy; yet at the same time think of China as a romantic mystery with a fabulous history and colorful culture. In the process of American student journalists constructing their perceptions about China, mass media play a role of agenda-setter. Subjects depended on mass media to get to know China, and their perceptions of China mirror the orientation of the government's policy and mass media's coverage.
Title: HOW AMERICAN STUDENT JOURNALISTS AT A COLLEGE NEWSPAPER CONSUME, PERCEIVE, AND DISSEMINATE NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT CHINA.
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Name(s): Wang, Xiaohua, Author
Kenney, Rick, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2008
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: With the increase of cooperation between America and China, the average person's perception of the other country could be an important factor that influences the development of the relationship between these countries. This study was designed to explore how Americans student journalists view China and how these student journalists select the news for a campus newspaper that might influence their readers' perceptions of China. Student journalists not only represent American youth but also act as connectors and filters between a huge flow of information outside and students on campus. A convenience census sample of student journalists at a campus newspaper were surveyed and interviewed. The results showed that although Americans student journalists know more about China than before, Orientalism is still alive in their perceptions and representations of China. They have both strange "Other" and romantic images about China. They view China as a communist evil with less democracy; yet at the same time think of China as a romantic mystery with a fabulous history and colorful culture. In the process of American student journalists constructing their perceptions about China, mass media play a role of agenda-setter. Subjects depended on mass media to get to know China, and their perceptions of China mirror the orientation of the government's policy and mass media's coverage.
Identifier: CFE0002076 (IID), ucf:47570 (fedora)
Note(s): 2008-05-01
M.A.
Sciences, Nicholson School of Communication
Masters
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): China
America Student Journalist
Perception
Orientalism
Interview
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002076
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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