Media Power and its Control in Contemporary China: The Digital Regulatory Regime, National Identity, and Global Communication

Preface
Acknowledgements
Contents
List of Figures
Part I Cultural Politics of Media
1 Introduction: The Unwritten Rules of Cultural Production in China
1.1 Into the Politics of Culture
1.1.1 Why Communication Power Matters
1.1.2 The Shifting Power Dimensions in China’s Cultural Sphere
1.2 On Chinese Media’s ‘Cultural Turn’
1.2.1 What We (Do Not) Talk About When We Talk About Chinese TV
1.2.2 China’s Soft Power Initiative and Its ‘Peaceful Rise’ Strategy
1.2.3 Rethinking International Broadcasting as a Diplomatic Tool
1.3 The Scope and Structure of the Book
1.3.1 Engaging Ethnography in China’s Broadcasting Industries
1.3.2 Structure of the Book
References
2 Conformity and Contestation in Cultural Production
2.1 The Discursive Power of Cultural Content
2.1.1 Documentaries and National Discourse
2.1.2 Media, Society and the State in the Digital Era
2.2 The Digital Regulatory Regime
2.2.1 ‘Tight’ Versus ‘Loose’ Regulatory Regimes
2.2.2 The Changing Role of Media Regulation
2.3 The Politics of National Identity
2.3.1 National Cultural Identity: The Glue that Holds ‘Us’ Together
2.3.2 The Politics of Recognition
2.4 Nation Branding and Global Communication
2.4.1 The Cultural Approach to Nation Branding
2.4.2 Broadcasting Policy Beyond National Boundaries
2.5 Conclusion
References
3 Methodology: The Insider-Outsider in Production Research
3.1 Practising Ethnography During Convergence
3.1.1 Exploring the Power Dimensions
3.1.2 Constructing Diversity in Data Collection
3.2 The Insider-Outsider: Observing the Industry
3.2.1 Managing the Insider/Outsider’s Position
3.2.2 Renegotiating the Researcher’s Locus
3.3 Production Research in International Media Contexts
3.3.1 Interpreting the Silence
3.3.2 Multicultural/Multilingual Ethnography
3.4 Conclusion: Networks and Divisions
References
Part II China’s Broadcasting Culture in Transition
4 The Digital Regulation System: Focusing on What You Can Control
4.1 The Digital Regulatory Regime
4.1.1 Regulating the Digital Platforms
4.1.2 Managing the Ideological Bottom-Line
4.2 Centralised Regulatory Power and Self-Censorship
4.2.1 Self-Censorship and Regulatory Uncertainty
4.2.2 A Tightened Regulatory Grip?
4.2.3 A Level Playing Field for Traditional and Digital Media
4.3 Conclusion
References
5 Renegotiating the ‘Red Line’ in the Regulatory Regime
5.1 Red Lines and Compromises
5.1.1 The Non-negotiable Political Correctness
5.1.2 Contestation Under a National Ideology
5.1.3 The Politics of Editorial Guidelines
5.2 Mediating Cultural Images
5.2.1 The Contemporary Cultural Cultivator
5.2.2 The Inclusion/Exclusion of Cultural Images
5.3 Conclusion: Digital Regulation and Cultural Values
References
6 The Digital Broadcasting Culture in Transition
6.1 Convergence and the Digital Content War
6.1.1 National Broadcasters and the ‘One-Cloud’ Convergence Centre
6.1.2 How National Media Understand Digital Marketplace
6.1.3 The Rise of Streaming Services
6.2 Content Commodification and Digital Audience Traffic
6.2.1 Monetising Audience Traffic
6.2.2 Content Distribution and IPR
6.2.3 IPR as a Legal Term in Cultural Trade
6.3 Conclusion
References
Part III National Identity and Global Communication
7 Identity Construction Between Nation Building and Nation Branding
7.1 Reinventing National Identity on the Public Screen
7.1.1 Political Impetus for Cultural Confidence
7.1.2 Reimaging a Collective Cultural Identity
7.2 National Identity in Chinese Official Discourse
7.2.1 Forging a Collective Cultural Identity
7.2.2 Contradictions and Dilemmas for CCTV
7.3 National Identity and International Broadcasting
7.3.1 Communication Development Through CGTN Documentary
7.3.2 The Division Between National and Global Stories
7.3.3 A State-Led Approach to National Storytelling
7.4 Conclusion: National Discourse and Global Communication
References
8 Co-producing Culture: International Co-production and IPR Trade
8.1 The Rise of the Co-production Agenda
8.1.1 International Film Festivals as an Intermediary for Nation Branding
8.1.2 Selling China’s National Content
8.2 Conflicts in Cultural Co-production
8.2.1 Uncertainties of Censorship
8.2.2 Shifting Directions on IPR Legislation and Trade
8.2.3 The Sustainability of Co-production and Cultural Goods Trade
8.3 International Film Festival as a Marketplace
8.3.1 Onstage Performances and Offstage Politics
8.3.2 A Stumbling-Block: The Battle Over Global Engagement
8.4 Conclusion
References
9 Conclusion: Renegotiating a National Identity
9.1 Is a Digital Regulatory Regime Manageable?
9.2 Negotiating National Identity During Digital Globalisation
9.2.1 Reimagining the Mainstream Identity
9.2.2 Nation Branding and Global Communication
9.3 Future Areas for Production Research
References
Appendix I: Interview Guide
Pre-Interview
Section A (Participants’ Background)
Section B (International Co-production and Global Distribution)
Section C (Commercialisation and Public Attributes)
Section D (Policy Intervention)
Appendix II: Ethics consent form
Consent to the Use of Data
Appendix III: Plain Language Participant Information Statement (PIS)
Title of Project and Researcher Details
Why Have I Been Chosen?
What Will Happen if You Take Part?
Do I Have to Take Part?
Keeping Information Safe and Private
What Will Happen to the Results of the Research Study?
Who Has Reviewed the Study?
Contacts for Further Information
Appendix IV: Interview list
Appendix V: List of Cases and Institutions
Index