Michael J. Hogentogler
China, Media Policy, and Censorship in the 21st Century
My research with Dr. John L. Sullivan of the Communication Department at Muhlenberg College focused on the issue of globalization and its effects on media policies across the globe. Specifically, we examined the People's Republic of China as a case study in globalization and media policy, and the research covers a wide variety of issues related to the Chinese media infrastructure. An analysis of the country's historical past and present day policies reveals a system full of corruption, political influence, and direct censorship of the media. By evaluating current theories of censorship and media policies, one will obtain an in-depth examination of the Chinese media system, current forms of censorship, a historical and current perspective on the media industry, as well as recommendations and an outlook for the future.
In addition to this research on censorship policies and practices within China, we conducted a content analysis comparing media coverage in the days immediately following the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. By examining articles published in several U.S. and Chinese media outlets, we evaluated how these policies and practices of censorship within China actually influenced modern press coverage. From manipulation of their own people to direct censorship of the press, the Chinese political sphere wields unprecedented power, and the effects of globalization are severely constraining their influence today. By evaluating the effects of globalization and censorship on new media policies through a detailed historical perspective and modern content analysis, one can gain a better understanding of globalization and its effects on the Chinese press coverage and its readership.
