Knowing our air from them: Exploring perception of foreign media affinity, dependency and accessibility as activators for Chinese publics

Abstract

This study explores the effect of foreign media on publics’ psychological activeness during a foreign media–spurred national problem: air pollution in China. Building on theories of media diplomacy and public relations, it finds that affinity with foreign media significantly activates Chinese publics to engage communication actions against air pollution, as it relieves publics’ constraint recognition. Dependency on foreign media also mediates such an effect. Moreover, the results show that perceived accessibility of foreign media heightens such mediation, such that when access to foreign media is low, the direct activation effect of foreign media vaporizes.