Skip to content
1981
Volume 12, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 2040-199X
  • E-ISSN: 1751-7974

Abstract

China Central Television (CCTV) launched its first media centre in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2012 and is one of the main actors in the ‘China’s media go global’ campaign. CCTV-Africa’s reporting style has previously been engaged by media practitioners and academics in terms of its discursive practices. In 2014, a new paradigm studying the journalistic practice of Chinese media in Africa emerged. It has been argued that the journalistic approach deployed by Chinese media in Africa, especially CCTV-Africa, is more constructive than simply positive. This article aims to provide a structural analysis on the role of international news in mediating and reinforcing the ‘harmony of interest’ of transnational elite groups with empirical findings from the case study of CCTV-Africa and its constructive approach of journalism. The findings of this research show that the ‘constructiveness’ of CCTV-Africa is marked with the ‘non-interference’ diplomatic strategy of China in Africa which minimalizes the political involvement of China in local conflicts by reducing investigation on causes and emphasizing solutions. Simultaneously, it also produces an apolitical context which encourages economic development in African societies to cater to the grander politics of China in Africa.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jams_00018_1
2020-06-01
2025-02-12
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Adekoya, R.. ( 2013;), ‘ Why Africans worry about how Africa is portrayed in western media. ’, The Guardian, 28 November, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/28/africans-worry-how-africa-portrayed-western-media. Accessed 4 August 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Alden, C.,, Large, D., and De Oliveira, R. S.. ( 2008), China Returns to Africa: A Rising Power and a Continent Embrace, New York:: Columbia University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Arrighi, G.. ( 2007), Adam Smith in Beijing: Lineages of the Twenty-First Century, London:: Verso;.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Buckle, M.. ( 2018;), ‘ Black cat, white cat …. ’, China Daily, 2 August, https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201808/02/WS5b728ae4a310add14f385b4a.html. Accessed 8 August 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Burrows, O.. ( 2013;), ‘ Kenya takes on foreign media for “negative” coverage on Africa. ’, Capital News, 21 April, www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2013/04/kenyan-takes-on-western-media-for-negative-coverage-on-africa. Accessed 4 August 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. CCTV-Africa ( 2016;), ‘ One-on-one with Beatrice Marshall: President Jacob Zuma. ’, CCTV-Africa Magazine: A New Voice for Africa, 1, pp. 2223.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. China Daily ( 2014;), ‘ Potential of the Chinese Dream. ’, 26 March, https://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2014-03/26/content_17380146.htm. Accessed 8 August 2019.
  8. Day, A. F.. ( 2013), The Peasant in Postsocialist China: History, Politics, and Capitalism, Cambridge:: Cambridge University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Economic and Commercial Counsellor’s Office in Nigeria ( 2019), The First China-Africa Economic Trade Expo, http://nigeria2.mofcom.gov.cn/article/chinafair/201902/20190202835060.shtml. Accessed 19 May 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Entman, R.. ( 1993;), ‘ Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. ’, Journal of Communication, 43:4, pp. 5158.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Fan, R.. ( 2015;), ‘ China’s excess capacity: Drivers and implications. ’, Law Office of Stewart and Stewart , June, https://api.open-ressources.fr/files/aHR0cHM6Ly9hcGkuem90ZXJvLm9yZy9ncm91cHMvMzM2MTk3L2l0ZW1zL1JOQkFVSEU2L2ZpbGUvdmlldw==/YXBwbGljYXRpb24vcGRm. Accessed 25 May 2020.
  12. FOCAC ( 2015;), ‘ Xi announces 10 major China-Africa cooperation plans for coming 3 years. ’, https://www.focac.org/eng/ljhy_1/dwjbzjjhys_1/hyqk/t1322068.htm. Accessed 25 May 2020.
  13. Foster, V.,, William, B.,, Chuan, C., and Nataliya, P.. ( 2009), Building Bridges: China’s Growing Role as Infrastructure Financier for Sub-Saharan Africa, Washington, DC:: The World Bank;.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Fouly, M.. ( 2017;), ‘ Africa: China is world model for peaceful big power with positive reforms. ’, allAfrica , 10 February, http://allafrica.com/stories/201702100241.html. Accessed 9 April 2020.
  15. Franks, S., and Ribet, K.. ( 2009;), ‘ China-Africa media relations. ’, Global Media and Communication, 5:1, pp. 12936.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Gagliardone, I.. ( 2013;), ‘ China as a persuader: CCTV Africa’s first steps in the African mediasphere. ’, Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies, 34:3, pp. 2540.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Galtung, J.. ( 1971;), ‘ A structural theory of imperialism. ’, Journal of Peace Research, 8:2, pp. 81117.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Galtung, J.. ( 2003;), ‘ Peace journalism. ’, Media Asia, 30:3, pp. 17780.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Hamlin, K.,, Grindneff, I., and Davison, W.. ( 2014;), ‘ Ethiopia becomes China’s China in search for cheap labour. ’, Bloomberg , 22 July, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-07-22/ethiopia-becomes-china-s-china-in-search-for-cheap-labor. Accessed 4 August 2019.
  20. Hsu, S.. ( 2014;), ‘ China’s model for Africa. ’, The Diplomat , 14 August, http://thediplomat.com/2014/08/chinas-model-for-africa/. Accessed 4 August 2019.
  21. Jacobs, A.. ( 2012;), ‘ Pursuing soft power, China puts stamp on Africa’s news. ’, New York Times, 16 August, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/world/africa/chinas-news-media-make-inroads-in-africa.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0. Accessed 8 August 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Jacques, M.. ( 2009), When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order, London:: Penguin Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Keita, M.. ( 2012;), ‘ Africa’s free press problem. ’, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/opinion/africas-free-press-problem.html?_r=1. Accessed 8 August 2019.
  24. Khan, M. S.,, Fischer, S., and Hernández-Catá, E.. ( 1998;), ‘ Africa: Is this the turning point?. ’, International Monetary Fund , 1 May, https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.aspx?sk=2580.0. Accessed 4 August 2019.
  25. Krippendorff, K.. ( 2004), Content Analysis: An Introduction to its Methodology, , 2nd ed.., London:: Sage;.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Kuo, L.. ( 2016;), ‘ China’s model of economic development is becoming more popular in Africa than America’s. ’, Quartz Africa, 28 October, https://qz.com/820841/chinas-model-of-economic-development-is-becoming-more-popular-in-africa-than-americas/. Accessed 8 August 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Luce, M.. ( 2015;), ‘ Sub-Imperialism, the highest stage of dependent capitalism. ’, in P. Bond, and A. Garcia. (eds), BRICS: An Anti-Capitalist Critique, London:: Pluto Press;, pp. 2744.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Lyon, D.. ( 2007;), ‘ Good journalism or peace journalism?. ’, Conflict & Communication Online, 6:2, pp. 110.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Madrid-Morales, D.. ( 2016;), ‘ Why are Chinese media in Africa? Evidence from three decades of Xinhua’s news coverage of Africa. ’, in X. Zhang,, H. Wasserman, and W. Mano. (eds), China’s Media and Soft Power in Africa: Promotion and Perceptions, Basingstoke:: Palgrave Macmillan;, pp. 7992.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Maina, L.. ( 2016;), ‘ CCTV-Africa 4 years later: Changing Africa’s news landscape. ’, CCTV-Africa Magazine: A New Voice for Africa, 1, pp. 45.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Marsh, V.. ( 2016;), ‘ Africa through Chinese eyes: New frames or the same old lens? African news in English from China central television, compared with BBC. ’, in M. Bunce,, S. Franks, and C. Paterson. (eds), Africa’s Media Image in the 21st Century: From the ‘Heart of Darkness’ to ‘Africa Rising’, Abingdon:: Routledge;, pp. 17789.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Matthes, J., and Kohring, M.. ( 2008;), ‘ The content analysis of media frames: Toward improving reliability and validity. ’, Journal of Communication, 58, pp. 25879.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. McIntyre, K. E.. ( 2015;), ‘ Constructive journalism: The effects of positive emotions and solution information in news stories. ’, Ph.D. thesis, North Carolina: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. McKenzie, D.. ( 2012;), ‘ Chinese media make inroads into Africa. ’, CNN , 25 September, https://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/05/business/china-africa-cctv-media/index.html. Accessed 19 May 2019.
  35. Nathan, A. J., and Shi, T.. ( 1996;), ‘ Left and right with Chinese characteristics: Issues and alignments in Deng Xiaoping’s China. ’, World Politics, 48:4, pp. 52250.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Prashad, V.. ( 2012), The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South, New York, London:: Verso;.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Rose, S.,, Spinks, N., and Canhoto, A. I.. ( 2015), Management Research: Applying the Principles, New York, NY:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Rosen, J.. ( 1996), Getting the Connections Right: Public Journalism and the Troubles in the Press, Hillsdale, NJ:: Erlbaum;.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Semetko, H., and Valkenburg, P.. ( 2000;), ‘ Framing European politics: A content analysis of press and television news. ’, Journal of Communication, 50:2, pp. 93109.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Stevis, M.. ( 2017;), ‘ Ethiopian premier, a China ally, calls Beijing a model for U.S. on job growth. ’, The Wall Street Journal, 2 February, https://www.wsj.com/articles/ethiopian-premier-a-china-ally-calls-beijing-a-model-for-u-s-on-job-growth-1486065701. Accessed 4 August 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Taylor, I., and Xiao, Y.. ( 2009;), ‘ A case of mistaken identity: “China Inc.” and its “Imperialism” in Sub-Saharan Africa. ’, Asian Politics and Policy, 1:4, pp. 70925.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Taylor, I.. ( 2010), China’s New Role in Africa, Bouldor:: Lynne Reinner Publishers;.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Tembe, P.. ( 2015;), ‘ The temptations and promotion of “China Dream”: Calling for Africa’s home-grown rhetoric. ’, SUNScholar , http://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/99157. Accessed 8 August 2019.
  44. Verhoeven, H., and Gagliardone, I.. ( 2012;), ‘ Opinion: China’s positive spin on Africa. ’, http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/18/opinion/china-media-africa-verhoeven-gagliardone/. Accessed 8 August 2019.
  45. Wallerstein, I.. ( 1976;), ‘ Semi-peripheral countries and the contemporary world crisis. ’, Theory and Society, 3:4, pp. 46183.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Wang, H.,, Huang, J. Y., and Wang, W.. ( 2014;), ‘ Analysis on the labour supply with the change of demographic, industrial and employment structure’ (‘Renkou Jiegou Zhuanbian, Chanye Ji Jiuye Jiegou Tiaozheng Beijing Xia Laodongli Gongqiu Guanxi Fenxi’). , Population and Economy, 2, pp. 96105.
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Wang, H.. ( 2006;), ‘ Depoliticized politics, multiple components of hegemony, and the eclipse of the sixties. ’, Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 7:4, pp. 683700.
    [Google Scholar]
  48. Wang, L., and Hu, A.. ( 2010;), ‘ An empirical research on the relation between economic development and social instability. ’, http://www.cctb.net/llyj/llsy/llwz/201002/W020100224356069538578.pdf. Accessed 8 August 2019.
  49. Wangalwa, E.. ( 2014;), ‘ Ethiopia’s impressive economic growth. ’, CNBC Africa, 20 August, http://nazret.com/blog/index.php/2014/08/21/ethiopia-s-impressive-economic-growth. Accessed 25 May 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Wasserman, H.. ( 2015;), ‘ China’s ‘soft power’ and its influence on editorial agendas in South Africa. ’, Chinese Journal of Communication, 9, pp. 113.
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Wu, Y. S.. ( 2012), The Rise of China’s State-Led Media Dynasty in Africa, Johannesburg:: South African Institute of International Affairs;, Occasional Paper No. 117 , June, https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/146130/saia_sop_%20117_wu_20120618.pdf. Accessed 25 May 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Xiang, Y.. ( 2018a;), ‘ China in Africa: Refiguring centre-periphery media dynamics. ’, in D. K. Thussu,, H. de Burgh, and A. Shi. (eds), China’s Media Go Global, London:: Routledge;, pp. 21329.
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Xiang, Y.. ( 2018b;), ‘ African students watching CCTV-Africa: A structural reception analysis of oppositional decoding. ’, Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, 13:1, pp. 12342.
    [Google Scholar]
  54. Zhang, X.. ( 2013), How Ready Is China for a China-Style World Order? China’s State Media Discourse Under Construction, Nottingham:: The University of Nottingham, China Policy Institute;.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Zhang, X.,, Wasserman, H., and Mano, W.. ( 2016), China’s Media and Soft Power in Africa: Promotion and Perceptions, Hampshire and New York:: Palgrave Macmillan;.
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Zhang, Y.. ( 2014;), ‘ Understanding China’s media in Africa – from the perspective of constructive journalism. ’, China and Africa Media, Communication and Public Diplomacy, Beijing, China, 10–11 September, https://www.cmi.no/file/2922-.pdf. Accessed 25 May 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  57. Zhang, Y., and Wekesa, B.. ( 2014), Live, Talk, Faces: An Analysis of CCTV’s Adaption to the African Media Market, Stellenbosch University, Centre for the Chinese Studies;, May, http://www0.sun.ac.za/ccs/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CCS_DP_CCTV_Bob_Wekesa_2014_Format.pdf. Accessed 25 May 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  58. Zhang, Y., and Matingwina, S.. ( 2016;), ‘ Constructive journalism: A new journalistic paradigm of Chinese media in Africa. ’, in X. Zhang,, H. Wasserman, and W. Mano. (eds), China’s Media and Soft Power in Africa: Promotion and Perceptions, Hampshire and New York:: Palgrave Macmillan;, pp. 93106.
    [Google Scholar]
  59. Zhao, X., and Xiang, Y.. ( 2019;), ‘ Does China’s outward focused journalism engage a constructive approach? A qualitative content analysis of Xinhua news agency’s English news. ’, Asian Journal of Communication, 29:4, pp. 34662.
    [Google Scholar]
  60. Zhao, Y.. ( 2014;), ‘ The life and times of “Chimerica”: Global press discourses on U.S. – China economic integration, financial crisis, and power shifts. ’, International Journal of Communication, 8, pp. 41944.
    [Google Scholar]
  61. Xiang, Yu, and Zhang, Xiaoxing. ( 2020;), ‘ CCTV in Africa: Constructive approach to manufacturing consent. ’, Journal of African Media Studies, 12:2, pp. 171188, doi: https://doi.org/10.1386/jams_00018_1
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/jams_00018_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/jams_00018_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test