Week 6 -- Stephen

Corporate Media Bias in China

In “Media, the Olympics and the Search for “Real China” by Kevin Lathem, Lathem describes the term “Real China” and how foreign corporate media tends to depict a negative narrative toward China; effecting the national image of the country during a very important time – the Olympics. The Beijing Games were a platform to showcase China’s economical, technological, cultural, and social feats as a nation. However, during the months leading up to the Games, foreign media conveyed a different message to the world.

For the most part, many across the world are slowly becoming aware of corporate media bias. This bias can be seen in presidential elections, sports, local news, federal news, and of course, as clarified in Lathem’s article, international journalism.

Lathem describes a clash of media views. One is the foreign media outlets that portray China in a negative way, and the other, a more grassroots media called “Real China” that was created as a response to the foreign media bias. Real China attempts to inform its audience about the real stories that are going on rather than a bullshit journalist lens. Corporate media outlets continued to undermine China’s feats up to and during the Olympics. Even during the opening ceremony, corporate media brushed off the majestic showcase as “fake”. This is big because large media outlets aren’t dumb. They’re pushing a specific agenda that is given to them by big money. I’m guessing on a whim, but, the negative image of China may have been painted to attempt to undermine China’s national credibility. After all, the Olympics are the biggest stage, and what else would put a dent in a nation’s credibility other than a slew of economic and political fiascos?

Question

1. How often does foreign corporate media attack other nations? I'm familiar with the bias in domestic corporate media, but I have yet to invest myself in foreign affairs.

References 

1. Latham, Kevin. "Media, the Olympics and the Search for the “Real China”." The China Quarterly 197.1 (2009): 25-43.

2. http://chinadivide.com/2010/how-egregious-and-dangerous-western-media-bias-is-response.html