Media Politics in China: Improvising Power under Authoritarianism

Chinese central officials cautiously endorse media supervision as a feedback mechanism, as journalists carve out space for critical reporting by positioning themselves as aiding the agenda of the central state. Media Politics in China examines the process of guarded improvisation that has defined this volatile partnership over the past decade.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 283 pages
Publication date: 20 December 2018
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

In this captivating exploration, Maria Repnikova unveils the intricate web of an uneasy alliance between critical journalists and the state in China. Far from being mere passive vessels or dissident voices, the media in China assumes a crucial oversight role, more commonly associated with liberal democracies than authoritarian systems. Chinese central officials cautiously endorse media supervision as a feedback mechanism, recognizing the media's potential to carve out space for critical reporting by aligning themselves with the agenda of the central state. Through exclusive access in the field, Media Politics in China delves into the dynamic process of guarded improvisation that has characterized this volatile partnership over the past decade, both on a routine basis and in the aftermath of major crisis events. This insightful book also provides a comparative analysis of media politics in the Soviet Union and contemporary Russia, highlighting the distinctiveness of Chinese journalist-state relations and the renewed pressures they face in the Xi era.

In this captivating exploration, Maria Repnikova unveils the intricate web of an uneasy alliance between critical journalists and the state in China. Far from being mere passive vessels or dissident voices, the media in China assumes a crucial oversight role, more commonly associated with liberal democracies than authoritarian systems. Chinese central officials cautiously endorse media supervision as a feedback mechanism, recognizing the media's potential to carve out space for critical reporting by aligning themselves with the agenda of the central state. Through exclusive access in the field, Media Politics in China delves into the dynamic process of guarded improvisation that has characterized this volatile partnership over the past decade, both on a routine basis and in the aftermath of major crisis events. This insightful book also provides a comparative analysis of media politics in the Soviet Union and contemporary Russia, highlighting the distinctiveness of Chinese journalist-state relations and the renewed pressures they face in the Xi era.

Weight: 420g
Dimension: 158 x 350 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781316647158