With China's imminent entry into the WTO, capital from every country is struggling to find a niche in what is potentially the world's biggest market. China's finance, high-tech, automobile, telecommunications and insurance industries have become targets of foreign investors. What has grabbed the spotlight, however, is the possible opening up of the market to foreign media.
China has authorized Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and AOL Time Warner to broadcast programs in Guang-dong (
In the era of globalization, the rules for media operation have to some extent become a capital game. Conglomerates with lots of capital manipulate the media market just as they manipulate stock markets. China's media, however, is still a protected industry.
Under Beijing's strict restrictions, the number of foreign movies shown is regulated by a quota; dissenting political stances are harshly quashed. The joint news programs broadcast by CCTV promote government policies and criticize dissidents. The media is the Chinese government's last line of defense. What will happen when China's isolated, cosseted media management comes into contact with globalized media operations? What happens when societies in which there is strong nationalistic sentiment face inroads made by Western media? Tensions created by these dichotomies could foreseeably lead to war.
In fact, despite China's strict control over the media, its conglomerates are busy diversifying into the print media to build up their corporate wallets, along with the traditional press industry. New newspapers and magazines backed by conglomerates have been regularly appearing on Bei-jing's newsstands.
China's media has shown itself to be moving in two major directions: content catering specifically to the middle-class and entertainment content aimed at all classes. In line with China's economic development, the size of each city's middle class has been rising. Due to its greater spending power, the middle class has become the main target for certain media, with some companies even touting themselves as "middle-class" media with content focusing on economic developments, such as the IT and financial industries, as well as quality of life issues.
This intense preparation has basically decided which media direction can capture the biggest market share. It also highlights what people in contemporary China are interested in. "Economy first" is not only a government policy, but also the priority for the general public. Thanks to the efforts of the Chinese media, the concept that wealth is the basis of one's social status has become universally accepted.
The media, unlike the manufacturing industry, possess cultural diversity. Even though conglomerates have globalized their media operations, bureaus stationed in different countries still have to employ local workers, as only they understand the local audience's interests. One can foresee that both News Corp and AOL Time Warner will opt for localized operations. The principle of speeding up mergers by use of large capital, however, will remain unchanged.
Using sophisticated methods, the conglomerates have built their models for globalized operations -- creating idols, producing popular culture and directing consumer behavior. Despite cultural diversity, the essence of the operation remains the same.
When Western media march into China, what they focus on should be the entertainment market. CCTV's news programs will still be aired every evening. But it is unlikely that CCTV's programs will ever become popular in the US.
Hsu Tung-ming is a freelance writer based in Beijing.
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