University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2018-01-23 China Global Television Network's International Communication: Between the National and the Global Zhang, Yang Zhang, Y. (2018). China Global Television Network's international communication: Between the national and the global (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/5443 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/106362 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY China Global Television Network’s International Communication: Between the National and the Global by Yang Zhang A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES CALGARY, ALBERTA JANUARY, 2018 © Yang Zhang 2018 Abstract In the context of globalization and digitalization, international Chinese news media have developed rapidly over the past decade. One typical example is the rise of China Global Television Network, CGTN, an English-language news channel operating under the predominant state television broadcaster, China Central Television, CCTV. This project focuses on the production, distribution and consumption of CGTN. It addresses the question of “What roles does Chinese global television network play in China’s integration into the globalization process?” Through a systematic analysis of current government policies, news programs of relative events, and extensive interviews of national and overseas audiences, the project describes some of the social impacts CGTN has or potentially may have on Chinese society in terms of globalization and its relation to national identity. As the study demonstrates, CGTN integrates both national and global elements in its branding strategies under the guidance of the Party state. The convergence of nationalism and globalization is the prevalent theme represented in its news and public affairs programs. In this way, CGTN frames a Chinese national identity that includes globalization while at the same time maintaining traditional national values. Based on an analysis of the responses, it appears that this news channel has more influence among its national audiences than its international audiences in terms of values and identities. The effectiveness of CGTN’s international communication is still a challenging task. ii Acknowledgements Along the journey of completing this thesis, I am especially grateful to my supervisor Dr. David Mitchell, who has provided me with tremendous support and encouragement in this research not only while he was working at UC, but after he has retired. He directed me throughout this project from beginning to end. Dr. Mitchell has been the most supportive supervisor, and I also super enjoyed all his courses and seminars during my time of doctoral studies. I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Richard Sutherland and Dr. Lloyd Sciban, for their invaluable advice and providing me with multi-disciplinary perspectives. Lloyd has given me valuable insights and suggestions by his exceptional knowledge of Chinese culture and society. My meetings with Richard have always been very informative and delightful. My thanks also go to Dr. Delia Dumitrica. She has provided me a lot of help and advice not only in academia but also in my daily life out of school. I thank the PhD program in Communications at UC, which has provided me with financial and institutional support throughout my graduate studies, and the opportunities to meet so many outstanding professors and scholars. I also thank my fellow graduate students at our program, who have given me a large amount of useful insight and help. My deep thanks go to my Masters Supervisor Dr. Marian Bredin, Dr. Jim Leach and the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film at Brock University. It is that period of graduate study when I became keenly interested in this area and decided to pursue PhD studies in communications. I would like to thank my family for all their huge support and kind words during the time I was finishing this project. My husband Wentao has always offered enormous encouragement and intellectual support. My son Walter has given me much enjoyable experience. My parents have helped me to take care of Walter and share our housework. To them, the dissertation is dedicated. Finally, I would also like to thank all those friendly people who spent their valuable time to attend interviews and other types of help during the project. iii Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………........ii Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………........iii Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………............iv Chapter 1: Introduction ………………………………………………………...........................1 1.1 Background: China’s Global Communication………………………………………...........1 1.2. Framing the Research Question………………………………………................................6 1.3 Definitions and Scope of the Research Question………………………………...................7 1.4 Significance of the Research………………………………….….………............................8 1.5 Brief Sketch of Theory and the Subsequent Chapters………………………………...…..10 Chapter 2: Review of Theoretical Approaches……………………………………….............14 2.1 International Communication and Cultural Dimensions……………………….................14 2.2 Globalization, Cultural Imperialism and Active Local Audience………………………...18 2.3 Public Sphere: International News Broadcasters in Democratic News Culture .................22 2.4 Audience Theory……………………………………….……………………………….....25 2.4.1 Three Generations of Audience Studies…...............................………………............25 2.4.2 Media Impact: Exploring Media within Social Contexts of Action…………….........26 2.4.3 Active Audience Theory………………….......……………….……………………...27 2.4.4 Agency and Structure……………………………………….…………………….......29 2.4.5 Case Studies………………………………………………………………………......34 2.5 Media Consumption and National Identity……………........................…………...... .......36 2.5.1 Media and National Identity……………………………………….…………………36 2.5.2 International Broadcasting and National Identity…………………………………….38 Chapter 3: CGTN and China’s International Communication Policy……………………...41 3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………..............41 3.2 The Transformation of Chinese News Media and Its Social Impact…………….......……42 3.3 The Forces to Distribute Information Overseas…………......…………………………….48 3.4 Spreading “Voice of China”: External Publicity and the “Chinese Dream” ………….….50 3.5 The Framework of the “Going Out” Strategy ................................................................... 52 3.6 Internationalization of Chinese Official Media under the “Going out” Strategy .............. 55 3.7 External Publicity and CGTN: China’s CNN? ………………….......……………………58 3.8 Structure of Media Control …………………………………..........……...........................61 3.9 Conceptualizing News Communication from a Chinese Perspective…………….....…....66 3.10 Conclusion..………………………………………………..………………….................67 3.11 Further Discussion………………….....……………………………………………..…..69 Chapter 4: CGTN and China’s Response to Globalization: Analysis of CGTN News ........71 4.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………..................71 4.2 Globalization Discourse in the Chinese Context……......…………………………….......72 4.2.1 Globalization Discourse in the Chinese Context…………………………….....…….72 4.2.2 Chinese National Identity and the Ideology of Nationalism………..…………...........74 4.2.3 Chinese News Broadcasting and National Identity…………………..........................76 4.2.4 Establishing China’s International Broadcasting…………………………...…….......78 4.3 Theoretical Framework…………………………………………........................................81 4.3.1 An Overview of CDA and Its Brief History…………………….................................81 4.3.2 Fairclough’s Socio-Cultural Approach………………………………………….........83 iv 4.3.3 Intertextuality………………………………………………………………................85 4.4 Case Studies: WEF and APEC……………………..……………………………………..88 4.5 Style and Identities………………………………………………………………...............92 4.5.1 Nationalizing the News: China as an Active Player in International Activities……...93 4.5.2 Celebrating China’s National Development as a Result of Globalization……...…….97 4.5.3 Analysis……………………………………………………………………………….98 4.6 News Actors: Discourse and Representational Meaning…….......………………………..99 4.6.1 Foreign Actors………………………...…………………………………….............101 4.6.2 Domestic Actors………………………………………………………………..........103 4.6.3 Analysis……………………………………………………………….......................104 4.7 Genre and Actional Meaning…………………………………...………………………..106 4.7.1 Nationalizing the APEC Beijing………………………………...………..................109 4.7.2 Universal Harmony: Meeting of the East and the West………………………….....110 4.7.3 Analysis……………...........………………………………………….......................111 4.8 Conclusion……………………………………………...………………..........................112 Chapter 5: Consuming CGTN in China and Canada…........................................................116 5.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………........................116