Leadership and organizational culture in China's television stations Autor(en): Lan, Jun / Xu, Yingzi Objekttyp: Article Zeitschrift: Medienwissenschaft Schweiz = Science des mass média Suisse Band (Jahr): - (2006) Heft 1-2 PDF erstellt am: 11.10.2021 Persistenter Link: http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-790793 Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. Die systematische Speicherung von Teilen des elektronischen Angebots auf anderen Servern bedarf ebenfalls des schriftlichen Einverständnisses der Rechteinhaber. Haftungsausschluss Alle Angaben erfolgen ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit oder Richtigkeit. Es wird keine Haftung übernommen für Schäden durch die Verwendung von Informationen aus diesem Online-Angebot oder durch das Fehlen von Informationen. Dies gilt auch für Inhalte Dritter, die über dieses Angebot zugänglich sind. Ein Dienst der ETH-Bibliothek ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz, www.library.ethz.ch http://www.e-periodica.ch Lan, Yingzi Xu IJunLeadership and Organizational Culture in China's Television Stations This paper categorizes organizational culture of China's television stations into three types including party culture, bureaucracy culture and commercial culture based on the value expression oforganizational culture and organizational goals in television stations. By investigating a number of geographical representative television stations including CCTV, Shanghai TV, Beijing TV, Daqing TV, Hunan TV and Phoenix TV, this paper concludes that Chinese television stations which are undergoing structural reform have not developed a mature model of organizational culture. The organizational culture has more or less traces ofabove three types of cidture. In principle, freedom and liveliness of organizational culture is positively interrelated with the loose of propaganda function and commercialization of television stations by the leading party and government. We conclude it is rather the enterprise vision made by China's television stations' leaders decided organizational culture, but not the other way round. The more developed economic area where television stations are located and the more loosen ofcontrol by superior government, the more change of organizational culture that television stations have made. Furthermore, this paper discussed restriction factors of organizational culture in different television stations, dilemma of program production and commercial function, current misunderstanding points and gave suggestions for organizational culture building in China's television stations. 1 Introduction about China's television stations from numerous journals China's television stations are undergoing structural and thesis database. reform and leadership reform in recent years. Broadcasting industry in China was defined as cultural industry and The paper categorized organizational culture of China's controlling tool for the correct direction of public opinion. television stations into three categories including propaganda All television stations are owned by Chinese government culture, bureaucracy culture and commercial and the Party. In recent years, China's television stations culture based on value expression of organizational culture have been encouraged to be partly commercialized and and organizational goals. A number of geographical merged into local or provincial media group/conglomer- representative television stations including CCTV, Shanghai ates. However, this kind of commercialization and mergers TV, Hunan TV, Daqing TV and Phoenix TV are selected to are not the same as those happened in the West. make case study. Based on above analysis, we concluded Commercialization does not mean to change the ownership of state- that the more developed economic area where television owned to private-owned. It means that television stations stations are located and the more loosen of control by superior are encouraged to marketing their programs and earn government, the more change of organizational culture more income. By now, the stations still keep two parallel that television stations have made. Furthermore, this paper leadership system called administrative management discussed restriction factors of organizational culture in leadership and Party management leadership. Administrative different television stations, dilemma of program production management leaders are responsible for the quality of the and commercial operation, current misunderstanding programs and financial balance of the stations. Party points of organizational culture building and gave suggestions management leaders are responsible for the political correctness for organizational culture building in China's television of the programs and other performance. Management stations. issues in China's broadcasting industry are very different with other countries. The ownership system great 2 Finding influenced the leadership style of China's television station. For long time, China's television stations are regarded as propaganda tool for Chinese Communist Party and the Under current circumstance, culture and leadership Government. Along with the opening policy from 1980s, issues in China's television stations are become more and people have discovered commercial character of television more important. This study wants to investigate whether stations have been and pursued economic returns as one of particular culture values help or hinder television stations their main goals. By now, there are more than 1000 television in China. The research was initiated out of concern while stations in China which ranks No. 1 in the world. Most both of us paid attention to the internal management of China's television stations are state-owned which could be China's television stations. It is based on extensive discussion categorized as four types - China Central Television with senior executives and management teams in China's Station (CCTV), provincial television stations and big city television stations. Besides extensive discussion, we television stations, small city television stations and non-state used documentary analysis and checked existing research owned television stations. 34 Medienwissenschaft Schweiz 1 +2/2006 Researchers (Xu 2004) found that Chinese organizational CCTV's position of monopoly is still apparently very culture could be categorized as bureaucracy model, strong, suppressing numerous provincial television development model and family model. These three kinds of stations and city TV stations, which sometimes as ambitious organizational culture can match with three human resource participants are eager to cut the growing market share and strategies: to prevent their domestic audience. CCTV has invested more in the area of original programs to defend its domestic Organizational Culture Strategy Human Resource Strategy and overseas competitors. Due to its monopoly position and as the CCTV Bureaucracy Model Guidance Model history government's mouthpiece, owns incomparable monopoly advantage and national influence Development Model Investment Model such as government influence, media authority, obligatory Family Model Participation Model national government financial and organizational culture coverage, support news interview freedom. These advantages have further Figure 1: Coordination of Organizational Culture and attracted national television talents and developed Human Resource Strategy organizational culture which featured as pursuing high-quality and high-standard organizational culture under comparatively stable bureaucratic management system. For instance, Having been managed by Chinese government and CCTV owns a dozens of best television program producers Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Chinese television stations including news anchors. The reputation of these television are very different from other types of enterprises in terms journalists, anchors and commenter are closely linked with of ownership, goals and management structure. For the their programs and become symbols and pillars of the dual characters of China's television stations as propaganda programs. For mainland Chinese audience, the most famous tool and commercial machine, the managers of Chinese journalists and anchors mainly come from CCTV. television stations often feel lost or dilemma in practice. 2.2 Shanghai TV: Both Commercial Benefit Oriented This paper categorized organizational culture of China's and Political Mission Oriented television stations into three categories including party In April 2000, Shanghai Media and Entertainment culture, bureaucracy culture and commercial culture Management Bureau has been found. In April 2001, the bureau based on value expression of organizational culture and found Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group (SMEG) organization goals. which merged Shanghai television stations, radio stations - Party culture: emphasize party and government's route, and film studio. The former two Shanghai television