强国论坛对中美关系话题的互动模式研究-ColumbiaUniversity.docVIP

ICT and the Demise of Government Propaganda By Li Xiguang, Guo Xiaoke and Xu Yong The Center for International Communications Studies Tsinghua University, Beijing, China Abstract: This article discusses an important direction in the development of Chinese press, politics, and public freedom of expression with the uses of new communications technologies. The challenges posed by the Internet to the Chinese state control of press are discussed. The Chinese leaders in the information age are confronted with a dilemma. On the one hand, the Internet-based information and communication technologies offer enormous potential and stimulation for China’s economic growth and speeding up her efforts in integrating with the global economy. But on the other hand, the information revolution poses new threats to the authorities that rely on a tight centralized control of political news. Contrary to popular wisdom, Chinese efforts to control the Internet and other new media have already failed in a sense that Chinese government has lost much control over the information and images that now circulate through Chinese society, particularly during big breaking news events. People are still debating whether the Internet economy be revived. No one can give an assuring answer. But one thing is sure to come that is China is seeing the demise of the classic communist propaganda in a sense that the state tightly-controlled media have lost their audiences when such big news events like the recent 16th Party congress take place. Key words: ICT, propaganda, breaking news events Methodology：The author has used six case studies including Nanjing food poisoning, Jiangxi school explosion, US-China spy plane collision,, the Three Represents propaganda campaign, 2002 National People’s Congress and the 16th Chinese Communist Party Congress to illustrate the pattern of Chinese official propaganda and impact of new ICT development on China’s press, public discourse and an