Through content analysis of their coverage on a large-scale media event, this paper examines the difference of agendas set by traditional media (represented by newspapers) and new media (represented by micro-blogs) in China. The results show that the agendas discussed by the Chinese people on micro-blogs are not significantly influenced by newspapers. In terms of the topics of the news, newspapers are more concerned with the Chinese economy and people's livelihood while micro-blogs are more concerned with political and legal reforms in China. As for media tone, newspapers are more likely to cover the event positively while micro-blogs tend to be negative. These findings that the Chinese government may be incapable of exercising their traditionally strong media agenda influence over newer digital media suggest that Chinese citizens, or netizens, may enjoy more freedom of speech in micro-blogging. Zhang, G., Bowman, N. D., Shao, G., & Guan, D. (2015, May). “The people dissent, or The People’s consent?” Comparing news agendas of traditional and new media surrounding a large-scale Chinese political event. Paper presented at the International Communication Association, Puerto Rico.

1. The people dissent, or The People’s consent?
Comparing news agendas of traditional and new media surrounding a large-scale Chinese political event
Guoliang Zhang
Nicholas David Bowman
Guosong Shao
Dengfeng Guan
Newspapers Micro-Blogs
Rk Agenda item Freq. Perc. Rk Agenda item Freq. Perc.
1 People's
livelihood
94 28.92% 1 Convention
representatives
189 33.27%
2 Economic
development
43 13.23% 2 Governance 170 29.93%
3 Convention
representatives
38 11.69% 3 People's
livelihood
156 27.46%
4 Shanghai/local
affairs
37 11.38% 4 Judicial 112 19.72%
5 Social admin 32 9.85% 5 Political system
reform
98 17.25%
6 Judicial 26 8.00% 6 Economic
development
63 11.09%
7 Governance 25 7.69% 7 Social admin 42 7.39%
8 Political system
reform
23 7.08% 8 Environment 18 3.17%
9 Military and
foreign affairs
12 3.69% 9 Military and
foreign affairs
15 2.64%
10 Environment 8 2.46% 10 Shanghai/local
affairs
6 1.06%
Chi-square
within group
χ2(9) = 151.9,
p < .001
Chi-square
within group
χ2(9) = 482.2,
p < .001
Agenda item Newspaper(%)
Micro-
Blogs(%)
Significance
test (z-score)
People's livelihood 28.92% 27.46% 3.80, p < .001
Economic development 13.23% 11.09% 3.02, p < .001
Convention
representatives
11.69% 33.27% 4.19, p < .001
Shanghai/local affairs 11.38% 1.06% 8.63, p < .001
Social admin 9.85% 7.39% 3.01, p = .003
Judicial 8.00% 19.72% 2.55, p = .011
Governance 7.69% 29.93% 5.16, p < .001
Political system reform 7.08% 17.25% 2.32, p =. 021
Military and foreign affairs 3.69% 2.64% 1.92, p = .054
Environment 2.46% 3.17% .318, p = .751
Abstract
Through content analysis of their coverage of the Fifth Session of the Eleventh
National People's Congress and the Fifth Session of the Eleventh Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference [March 3 to 14, 2012], this paper
examines the difference of agendas set by traditional media (represented by
newspapers Shanghai Morning News and Oriental Morning Post; 325 total
stories) and new media (represented by micro-blog Sina Weibo, 568 valid posts
from 12 influential users). The results show that the agendas discussed by the
Chinese people on micro-blogs are not significantly influenced by newspapers. In
terms of the topics of the news, newspapers are more concerned with the
Chinese economy and people's livelihood while micro-blogs are more concerned
with political and legal reforms in China. As for media tone, newspapers are more
likely to cover the event positively while micro-blogs tend to be negative. These
findings that the Chinese government may be incapable of exercising their
traditionally strong media agenda influence over newer digital media suggest
that Chinese citizens, or netizens, may enjoy more freedom of speech in micro-
blogging.
Hypotheses
Given that Chinese micro-blogs are less controlled in general and thus not as
open to strict control by the government, we expect (H1) a significant difference
between the broad news agenda set by micro-blogs and the news agenda set by
newspapers. Specifically, we assume that when covering the Two Conferences,
(H2) newspapers are more likely to focus on economic growth and
socioeconomic issues, while micro-blogs are more likely to focus on social
issues, such as political and legal debates. This is expected given the Chinese
government’s increased focus on the growth of China as an economic power
juxtaposed with the renewed world focus on human rights concerns that parallels
the Chinese government’s increased exposure to global scrutiny. Finally,
considering the difficulty for the public to express their complaints of the
government via traditional media and the comparatively relieving effect of such
self-media like micro-blogs, we expect (H3) micro-blogging on the Two
Conferences to be overall more negative in tone than newspaper coverage.
“…there was no significant relationship between the micro-blog agenda and newspaper
agenda using the Spearman-Brown rank order correlation function, r = .139, t(8) = 0.4, p
= .699, n = 10 rank-order pairs. Hypothesis 1 was thus supported.” (p. 15)
“The agenda-setting of traditional newspapers largely mirrored its function as the
Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece…In the other case, micro-blog agenda revealed
the public appeal on social equality and controversy. Hypothesis 2 was thus supported,
Yates-adjusted x2(9) = 41.7, p < .001.” (p. 16)
Newspapers Micro-Blogs
Number Percentage Number Percentage
Positive 171 52.6% 219 38.6%
Neutral 117 36.0% 43 7.6%
Negative 37 11.4% 306 53.8%
Chi-square
(within group)
χ2 (2) = 25.9
p < .001
χ2 (2) = 33.7
p < .001
Total 325 100% 568 100%
“…Comparing the media tone of newspapers and micro-blogs, we founded that
Hypothesis 3 was thus supported, χ2(2) = 199.8, p < .001, as the distribution of tone
between traditional newspapers and micro-blogs differed both significantly and
meaningfully.” (p. 18)
The current study showed that there
was a significant difference in micro-
blogs. The agendas discussed by the
Chinese people on micro-blogs were
not influenced by newspapers.
Study Authors