Fan Yang and Fergus Ryan on Chinese-language media in Australia
Oct 20, 2021
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Fan Yang and Fergus Ryan discuss Chinese-language media in Australia, exploring issues like self-censorship, government monitoring, and media independence. They delve into the role of WeChat in challenging traditional media norms and the challenges of maintaining objectivity in Chinese language media outlets.
Chinese language media in Australia tend to support Australian government policy while editorializing to soften criticism of China due to financial constraints.
Challenges faced by Chinese language media in Australia include self-censorship pressures to avoid upsetting the Chinese Communist Party, resulting in biased news coverage.
Deep dives
Fan Yang's Research on Chinese Language Media in Australia
Fan Yang's paper delves into the production and representation of news stories covering bilateral tensions between Australia and China in 2020 within Chinese language media outlets in Australia. She analyzed over 500 articles from three outlets focusing on trade tensions and Zoli Jens' controversial tweet. One significant finding was that Chinese language media in Australia tend to support Australian government policy over Chinese government policy but editorialize to soften criticism of China, attributed to financial and resource constraints. The outlets primarily translate and reproduce content from dominant Australian English media, leading to editorialization and sensationalization for increased readership on platforms like WeChat.
Fergus Ryan's Perspective on Chinese Language Media Challenges
Fergus Ryan highlights challenges faced by Chinese language media in Australia, including a lack of original content, self-censorship pressures, and resource constraints. Self-censorship is common to avoid upsetting the Chinese Communist Party, resulting in biased or incomplete news coverage. Ryan emphasizes the difficulty in categorizing articles as leaning towards Beijing or Canberra due to nuanced storytelling and censoring key information. He stresses the importance of avoiding censorship to provide audiences with comprehensive and unbiased news coverage.
Objective Reporting Challenges in Chinese Language Media
Fan Yang's research addresses the complexities of objectivity in Chinese language media in Australia amid intensified geopolitical tensions. She underscores the shifting allegiances and self-identification of Chinese Australian media professionals, balancing Australian and Chinese affiliations. The research reveals a dynamic media landscape where self-censorship, financial influences, and audience expectations shape content. The discussion delves into the significance of WeChat official accounts in informing Chinese Australians, highlighting challenges in maintaining objectivity while catering to diverse audiences.
The Impact of Policy Changes on Chinese Language Media
Policy changes in China, restricting private capital from original news creation, pose challenges for Chinese language media outlets in Australia linked to Chinese entities. Fergus Ryan discusses the implications of such changes on content production. Fan Yang advocates for greater recognition and support for Chinese language media outlets to produce original news content independently. The conversation extends to the role of Australian government support and the need for societal acknowledgment to foster diverse and ethical journalism practices.
In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Research Fellow Jennifer Hsu talks with Fan Yang and Fergus Ryan about Fan’s recent paper for the Lowy Institute, titled “Translating Tensions: Chinese-Language Media in Australia”. The paper is one of the first to provide insight into the published content of Chinese-language media organisations in Australia as it relates to Australia-China relations.
Fan Yang is a PhD candidate at the School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University. She researches Chinese-language media on WeChat with a focus on human-technology mediation. Her doctoral thesis is entitled “News Manufactories on WeChat: The Word Business, Censorship and Pseudo-Journalism”. She has published in various outlets including Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, Policy Forum, Media International Australia,The Conversation, and others.
Fergus Ryan is a Senior Analyst with Australia Strategic Policy Institute’s International Cyber Policy Centre. He has worked in media, communications and marketing roles in China and Australia for close to a decade and has published widely on Chinese tech, entertainment and media industries. Most recently, Fergus was a journalist for The Australian.