Happy Lunar New Year from the USC US-China Institute!
From Economic to Social Media Experiments: The Tensions of Fragmented Authoritarianism
The University of Pennsylvania Center for the Study of Contemporary China presents a lecture by Maria Repnikova, Assistant Professor, Georgia State University and Kecheng Fang, Ph.D. candidate, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.
Where
This study examines the latest media experiment under President Xi that aims at revitalizing the Internet by creating new party-funded digital media outlets nationally. Specifically, the paper analyses the model of Shanghai-based news outlet, Pengpai or the Paper, and how its success has been diffused across different cities and regions in China, including Tianjin, Wuhan, Nanjing, Chongqing and Guangzhou. Drawing on rich empirical data, including interviews with propaganda officials, media executives and editors in seven provinces, this study finds that while Pengpai has been relatively effective at establishing a new brand that serves the agenda of top-down persuasion, its model has not been replicable, as individual regional and media leaders have different and often conflicting visions and strategies for deploying the Internet. Many of these localized media experiments carry little substance and serve more of a purpose of showing off to the center rather than actual audience deliverables. These contradictions between central level initiatives and local-level implementation point to old standing dynamics of fragmented authoritarianism that have long remained in place and have become exacerbated under Xi. They also point to the fragility of Xi’s centralization campaigns as well as his attempts at “occupying the public opinion field” online.
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We note the passing of many prominent individuals who played some role in U.S.-China affairs, whether in politics, economics or in helping people in one place understand the other.
Events
Ying Zhu looks at new developments for Chinese and global streaming services.
David Zweig examines China's talent recruitment efforts, particularly towards those scientists and engineers who left China for further study. U.S. universities, labs and companies have long brought in talent from China. Are such people still welcome?