Beyond the Market Myth

Abstract

In the West, the Chinese media system used to be criticised for its lack of press freedom un-der the authoritarian one-party system. However, profound changes happened in Chinese media in the past two decades after the market mechanism became the dominant means of reform after 1989. In the television sector, for example, Chinese television gradually lost its public remit in educational and cultural programmes during the process of self-commercialisation. To remedy these market failures, the author tries to integrate the dual broadcasting system (coexistence of the public service and the commercial broadcasting) into the current discussions about the future of Chinese television. Extensive topics on the dual broadcasting system are included in the research, such as the historical development of the dual broadcasting system, a comparison of the British and German models, the success and failure of system imitation in individual countries, etc.