Page 196 - Feasibility Study of New Media Technology on Constructing Online Public Sphere

Feasibility Study of New Media Technology
on Constructing Online Public Sphere

large number of foreign websites are banned, and only a small number can be accessed.

The government uses the most advanced technology to ban information from overseas
that might threaten the dominant position of the Party in addition to websites that are
connected with pornography, gambling and drugs. For now, there appear to be more
restrictions and less openness in China’s cyberspace. There is no negotiation space be-
tween foreign internet companies and the Chinese government, and if they fail to com-

ply with Chinese regulations, it will be difficult for them to enter the Chinese market
and gain the high profits from the large population of Chinese netizens.

6.5 Summary

In this chapter, I investigated the government-media interaction in the Chinese
context. Based on the Xiamen PX plant event, I found that, the government takes a
dominant position in the relationship with media companies. However, a mutual ben-
eficial relationship was also revealed. From the government’s side, the main reason

for allowing and promoting the development of the media industry is the pursuit for
economic growth. Meanwhile, the government has recognised other gains – use media
space as a tool to collect public opinion and use it to spot problems in advance. Here,
problems refer to the contention that may threat social stability and the Party’s regime.

My interviews with practitioners in the media industry revealed that: sensitive
topics, particularly anti-Party and anti-government behaviour, and three illegal aspects
of pornography, gambling and drug-related crime, are strictly prohibited in media
space. These factors draw the government’s bottom line which put ‘shackle’ on media

companies. I examined the performance of commercial media companies, state-owned
media platforms and foreign media websites during the Xiamen PX plant incident. It
showed that the government’s order is the only thing that none of these media compa-
nies would challenge if they wish to survive and develop in China. For example, after

rounds of government intervention, Fish Community Forum chose to temporarily shut
down its site to stay away from sensitive information.
However, the restrained relationship between the government and media company
is not always absolute. Internet media companies can fledge to large-scale media space

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