Beyond the Great Firewall: A Case Study of Inter-media Agenda Setting Effects between Chinese and Western Reporting on Corruption in China

This study examines inter-media agenda setting effects between Chinese and Western reporting on the single case of Zhou Yongkang’s imprisonment. Through a comprehensive content analysis of 323 Chinese-language news articles from Chinese state-run media, mainland Chinese media, Hong Kong media, Taiwanese media, Western media, and immigrant Chinese media, this paper explores how attribute agendas in different types of media’s news reports are mutually correlated. Results show Chinese state-run media’s agendas dramatically impact attribute agendas in mainland China and Hong Kong media’s reports on Zhou Yongkang’s issue, while the inter-media agenda setting effects of Chinese state-run media does not reach Taiwanese media, Western media, and immigrant Chinese media. Also, this study content analyzes 652 Chinese-language Tweets on Zhou Yongkang’s issue. Findings suggest attribute agendas of Chinese-language Tweets most significantly correlate with attribute agendas in Western media’s reports on Zhou Yongkang’s imprisonment, although immigrant media is most frequently referenced by Chinese-language Tweets.