Reporting Activities of Chinese Correspondents in Japan from the 1960s and 1970s

Abstract

Based on the framework of factors of the news selection process, this research discusses the news production of the Chinese correspondents stationed in Japan in 1960s and 1970s. The framework distinguishes among four analytic levels: institutional context, organizational routine, individual consciousness and the external reporting environment. By analyzing the historical materials such as memoirs and notes of Chinese correspondents, this study found that Chinese correspondents in Japan determined the direction of reporting activities by following the central leaders’ instructions and the central government’s documents. They identified specific news stories by conforming organizational routines and reporting guidelines. Moreover, they wrote the news story by integrating journalistic professionalism and personal recognition and understanding towards Japan. At last, they have gained the convenience from the people who are friendly to new China, whereas they still meet restrictions in news gathering and reporting in Japan. The reporting activities of Chinese correspondents promoted the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Japan, which is in line with the needs of the foreign policy and the domestic policy of Chinese government in the early days of new China. The analysis offers a new perspective to summarize rules of international news production mechanism of Chinese media.