Social Sciences in China, 2021

Vol. 42, No. 2, 2021

Recontextualizing Constructive Journalism in Contemporary China: A Comparative and Intercultural Perspective

(Abstract)

Shi Anbin

By adopting a scholarly perspective on comparative journalism and intercultural communication, the present study delineates the conceptual common ground in terms of defining constructive journalism (CJ) and lays out the theoretical foundation for further discussion of this practical recontextualization in China’s social and cultural contexts. The indigenous tradition of “public opinion surveillance” (POS) in China is traced out in comparison with the experiment of CJ and its derivatives like public/civic journalism in Western countries. In spite of different news philosophies and media eco-systems, promoting social reform and serving the people or the public constitute the common goals for both Chinese and Western journalists and media professionals. Notably, exploring the theoretical validity and practical applications of CJ and POS would provide a feasible entry point to the cross-cultural dialogue between the East and the West about news media innovation.

Keywords: constructive journalism, public opinion surveillance, comparative journalism, public/civic journalism, journalism in contemporary China