Article,

Through the eyes of US media: banging the democracy drum in Hong Kong

, , , and .
The Journal of Communication, 51 (2): 345--365 (2001)

Abstract

In the shadow of globalization, international newsmaking remains inherently ethnocentric, nationalistic, and even state-centered. Major U.S. media frame the transfer of Hong Kong from British to Chinese sovereignty in terms of four dominant ideological packages, that is, the United States (a) is a ‘new guardian’ of Hong Kong (b) in an emerging cold war between the West and China, whereas Hong Kong will suffer from the erosion of freedom and democracy under Chinese rule on the one hand, and (d) will be a ‘Trojan horse’ to spearhead China's political and economic change on the other. In sum, the media rally around the ‘star spangled banner’ to bang the democracy drum in consonance with elite consensus and foreign policy. Their news net is narrowly cast. To rescue the handover from being a dull media event, the media seek to hype up their stories. Even the lighthearted pieces flaunt ideological messages.

Tags

Users

  • @acf

Comments and Reviews