Analysis of China Use of Propaganda - Literature review Example

Campaign Analysis Essay Name (University Affiliation) (Date) Introduction It is significant to understand the concept of propaganda as well as how is works as it is often touches fundamental issues that affect the society such democracy, how the media is used to serve the ends of a dominant elite. As such, this paper will analyze the “Chinese Dream” propaganda campaign released in 2013 (Hung & Si, 2014). Besides, through this paper, the issue of monopolistic control over the media is delineated. Thus, this paper aims to highlight the various types of society, especially focusing on the authoritarian and totalitarian regimes such as China where there is a great deal of media censorship. The paper aims at showing how the state can use its power to influence the public attitudes’ and opinion by manipulating the media to paint its policies in a positive light. More often than not, governments, organisations and even individuals carry out organised communication campaigns in order to influence the general public’s opinion. Tentatively, governments often use propaganda to communicate government sponsored programs and to sway the public into believing that the government has the peoples’ interest at heart hence attaining a good reputation. Accordingly, the propaganda campaign carried out by the Chines Communist Party was effective has the Chinese people were made to believe that the Chinese government is in the right path to making China the greatest economy in the world (Hung & Si, 2014) since it was allowing children in school and scholars to exploit their potentials. As Shambaugh (2007) postulates, the study of campaign analysis such as propaganda is essential in understanding how news management, also referred to as “spin" shapes information hence emphasising positive features while downplaying the negative ones. The analysis of propaganda is associated with the evaluation of the ideologies of the disseminators as well as the impact of the propaganda on the general public opinion. Besides, the study or the analysis of propaganda is important as one is able to understand the social movements as well as the counterpropaganda that emerges in opposition. In effect, this campaign analysis essay is significant as at the end of the project one will be able to understand the role as well as the importance of communication technology in shaping the society from political, social and economic perspectives. Literature Review The power of the press as well as broadcasting is not necessarily greatest when political involvement in the media is most apparent. As Herman and Chomsky argue (2006) many authoritarian states have often used their power to control the media hence denying the public sphere their right to democracy or their right to articulate the needs of the society with the state. A good example is China where the propaganda officials often circulate a list of topics that are prohibited from discussing to the public (Tatlow, 2016). According to (Tatlow, 2016) there is a list of topics which is often sent to news rooms as notices, which all the Chinese news media must avoid. In other words, the news rooms should not report topics that are considered to paint the government “negatively.” Studies have indicated that the Chinese propaganda system and apparatus, was established with the sole purpose of providing ideological underpinnings to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (Lynch, 2001). Democracy as well as transparency in China has been largely adversely affected in China as far as the right to information is concerned. The CCP propaganda Department (CCPPD) has often applied the concept of media censorship whenever it sees fit. For Instance, under the CCP directives, there has been regular crack down on the media as well as concomitant strengthening of the propaganda apparatus in china (KAHN, 2006). There have been cases of intimidations, prosecutions, imprisonment as well as deaths associated with the media industry as reported in He Qinglian’s Report, an exiled investigative journalist (Shambaugh, 2007). Over time, the propaganda system of public influence used by China has undergone major transformation because of the rapid change in the communication technology industry. Unlike during the world war two, where people depended on the typical radio to obtain news as well as the government’s agenda, today a majority of the world’s population use the information communication technology, which incorporates the use of the internet, to send as well as receive information. With these changes in the communication sector, the China’s propaganda strategists have found the need for the state’s propaganda machinery to adopt a new pattern of public opinion guidance, which incorporates the use of “metropolitan media” to set the agenda (Shambaugh, 2007). The concept of "metropolitan media" is associated with media that is less directly under the control of the state or the ruling political party. Moreover, under this concept, the media is more subject to commercial demands. As Shirk (2010) posits, during the mid and late 19th century, the Chinese media was held under the control of the CPC hence the government significantly used the media to communicate its propaganda messages that would influence the public’s attitude as well as opinion. The government ensured that the media reflected the government in a good light in order for the state to maintain power and have control over its people. In other words, through propaganda, the media has was considerably used by the Chinese government to make its people think that things are getting better hence believing that the government is in control. Further, as Herman and Chomsky, (2010) argue, media’s strong monetary interest has led governments to have an easy time with regards to pushing the media to avoid controversial topics that seek to challenge state power. The primary intention of incorporating propaganda is to encode an ideology or conception to the intended audience with an associated objective. Whether the state is trying to impart a substantial wave of patriotism in a national audience to support the governments’ controversial policies or intentions to enter into war, a careful as well as prearranged strategy of prefabricated symbol influence is often used to converse an objective to an audience (Jowett & O'donnell, 2014). As it is evident in China’s propaganda system, the country’s ruling political party, Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has invested a significant amount of resources associated with propagating pro-government propaganda. In fact, it is estimated that the Country has employed over 2 million contractual propaganda workers, who include students and Party members (Phillips, 2013). Also known as “spin doctors” the propaganda workers are used to publish politically correct statements that seek to influence the public’s opinion on government agenda’s. Findings and Discussion In order to give a clear analogy with regards to a campaign analysis associated with propaganda, the paper uses “China Dream” propaganda campaign (Hung & Si, 2014). Immediately, President Xi Jinping took office in 2013, he sat down with his cabinet to look for ways his government could sway the public into believing that the government was on course to revising the economy and such the citizens were at liberty to carry out their daily businesses as they wish without being disturbed. As such, his team through the government’s propaganda council came up with the “China Dream” campaign. Under this slogan, the state aggressively launched a set of national propaganda campaigns under the directive of the propaganda departments (Hung & Si, 2014). A series of propaganda video clips, learning activities as well as posters were launched to give a clear connotation what the government wanted. The propaganda campaign was purposely designed for the Chinese people (Hung & Si, 2014). The campaign aimed at winning over the Chines public opinion. The campaign was aimed at consolidating the Chinese confidence in the China’s socialist path as well as system. The propaganda artifacts were uploaded in the Chinese cyber space, posters, print media as well as the typical mainstream media. The propaganda texts were uploaded in the social media platforms for profound discourse that were positive-oriented to be achieved. As seen in Appendix 1, one example of the propaganda material used was the “China’s Animated Propaganda Video” (Flanagan, 2015). The animated propaganda video, which was done and released in the campy style of the early 1970s educational cartoon Schoolhouse Rock, explicates the process of developing China’s 14th five-year-plan. The video which was given the name “Shisanwu,” was aimed at showing the Chinese citizens as well the world about China’s commitment with respect to laying down proper strategy aimed at showing how the country's economy will run for the next half decade. The clip, which runs for three minutes shows an electric collage of image-like of Xi Jinping , China’s president, and a celebrity singer showing the world that the government, which includes the ministers, think tanks and other stakeholders are the ones responsible for the creation of the five-year plan. Another propaganda clip material that was realeased for the “Chinese Dream” campaign can been seen in appendix 2. In the video, a potrait of china is depicted as a youthful and ancient country. It shows a land of blue skies as well as green field , where the Chinese citizens as well as foreigners come together and jously laugh while clapping and and playing. The video also shows clowns on bikes giving beautiful women flowers. The video aims at reflecting China as a rapidly growing country, which embrances diversity. The video tries to shcow China as a land of opportunities. The vieo clip has received signifcant views as well as praises from the Chinese social media users (Guan, 2014). The other “China Dream” propaganda material is associated with a video clip showing a cartoon that soon becomes the president of China. The video tries to indicate why the process of becoming a president needs great experience as well as less compromised politicians. It depicts the Chinese people as ambitious and ready to work for a better future (Guan, 2014). The propaganda videos were designed and edited by China’s longtime propaganda video production house, Fuxing Road Studio. The propaganda videos were released into to the social media platform, which went viral within 48 hours of its release. The information being disseminated in the video clips is somewhat misleading as Lardy and Borst, (2013) assert that statistics indicate that China’s economy has been on slow down growth in the last four years, and this can be attributed to the government’s lack of initiative with regards to protecting the labour and manufacturing industry. The propaganda campaign failed to meet its main objective as a majority of the Chinese who use the Internet are already aware of the government’s strategy to influence the public’s attitude about the government. The public believe that the fact that the government is using a significant amount of resources to hire “spin doctors” shows that the state has failed to secure the economy hence seeking to appease the public using propaganda messages and political public relations (Nye Jr, 2014). Thus, the propaganda video clips did not have much impact on the Chinese public. However, there were numerous comments on the social media appreciating the government’s commitment to making sure that China grows economically. Nevertheless, it is difficult to ascertain if these were genuine comments from the typical Chinese citizens since there are over two million contractual propaganda workers whose main work is to make politically correct statements in World Wide Web regarding the government’s projects plans and decisions. Conclusion In summation, the paper has clearly delineated how the role of communication in shaping the mindset, opinions as well as perceptions of individuals. From the discussion above, it is evident that the various media platforms are often used by the government as well as those in positions of leadership power to maintain status quo. Further, the paper has demonstrated the relationship between media and power as well as the role of communication technology in shaping the society. The significant learning outcome associated with this campaign analysis is that the media can be used by the state to influence the public opinions as well as well as indicating the power of ICT. 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Chinese spin doctors urged to spread 'positive energy' online. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2016, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9810857/Chinese-spin-doctors urged to-spread-positive-energy-online.html Shambaugh, D. (2007). China's propaganda system: Institutions, processes and efficacy. The China Journal, (57), 25-58. Shambaugh, D. (2007). China's propaganda system: Institutions, processes and efficacy. The China Journal, (57), 25-58. Shirk, S. L. (Ed.). (2010). Changing media, changing China. Oxford University Press. Tatlow, D. (2016). What Chinese Media Mustn’t Cover at the ‘2 Sessions’. Nytimes.com. Retrieved 6 May 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/10/world/asia/china news-censorship-two sessions.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FInternet%20Censorship%20in%20China Xu, B. (2014). Media censorship in China. Council on Foreign Relations, 25. Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Read More