Social Psychology - Mass Communication and Propaganda

QUESTION:
What is the purpose and impact of mass communication and propaganda?

Case Study:
The news media reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was prevalent. I was living in New York at the time, and was bombarded with 24-hour non-stop news update on the situation. Many dire reports came out, vivid footage of floating corpses, survivors suffering severe sun-burnt waiting for rescue; rumors of widespread rapes and looting (unsubstantiated); FEMA chaos; critics on how terrible the government has handled the relief effort, etc. This fits perfectly with the hypothesis - disasters are more newsworthy, thus received more coverage.


This phenomenon contrasts drastically from the local coverage of the ongoing Qinghai earthquake aftermath, which pretty much goes against the logic of newsworthy selection criterion of news coverage. Positive coverage dominates the news (I am currently living in Hong Kong, hereby referring to the local news media in Hong Kong). News on the premier and senior political officials visited the sites; troops of soldiers and medical workers pouring in the province from around the country to help; children resume classes just two-weeks after the quake. One media heading reads, “In overcoming hardships, premier stands shoulder to shoulder with the people”.

Two of the greatest nations facing devastating natural catastrophes; two opposite extremes of sentiment in the media coverage. Is it a systematic propagation of the image of a prosperous, united Chinese nation that permeated the media coverage? What is your take on this? Do you observe similar phenomenon? Please share your observation(s).

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Answers:

Although China has chosen to participate increasingly in global affairs, the government still suppresses free reporting of disasters, events or policies. Negative coverage will be interpreted as a threat to national sovereignty. “Enemy forces at home and abroad are sparing no effort to use this battlefront to infiltrate us,”159 (editorial in People’s Daily, January 2001). To avoid any chance of the downfall of the regime, PRC will try every means to control media.


Anyway, I will utilize what is learnt in chapter 3 to justify their actions. Over 90% of Chinese are farmers who still live below the poverty line. They are not well-educated and prone to one-side argument. If too many arguments (negative) are mentioned, the audience will vacillate and have no confidence on the government work. Besides, senior officials are usually the first to appear in the disaster to get the advantage of primacy effect. At the end of session, the reporter will finally conclude how effective and efficient on the salvage the government have done. After the news report, there will be a talk show to attract those who are well-educated. There are a number of experts invited to the show, presenting a two-sided argument and concluding the ultimate solution which is “coincidental” in line with the government’s action. It is the true picture of all media in China.


Aren’t we brainwashed, are we?


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2nd Answer:
The News Coverage is simply too marvellous...utilizing the "primacy" and"recency" effects. Yes i also agree with the above answer. People can get easily brainwashed. Another point is... utilizing a psychologist called McGuire, "The person easiest to brainwash is the person whose beliefs are based on slogans that have never been seriously challenged." Hence, the not-so-well educated, are the ones who are the easist to be brainwashed.

How about Hong Kong then?
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3rd Answer:
It’s a good question for the discussion of purpose and impact of mass communication and propaganda! My discussion is based on three aspects in regarding the media coverage of Qinghai earthquakes, which is the source of information, purpose of the media and nature of the audience.

Xinhua news is an official agent that speaks for the government. It is logical that their purpose is to convey message of the government. In fact, besides of Xinhua, there are many others news agents like China Daily, China Digital net, telegraph UK, Apple Daily HK or even videos on youtube.com that perceiving the event in many different approaches (links attached below). It is beyond my access to investigate whether the news reports are accurate or not. Just want to raise the issue about the purpose and the consequence of the reports.

When I read those news, one thing pop up in my mind: what would I want to know if I were one of the survivors? Frankly speaking, I would prefer a positive reading rather than negative one. The situation recalls my memory of the collapse of old building in To Kwa Wan (HK) happened months ago. News of rescue is more appeal to me. However, it doesn’t mean that I am not concern on the truth or the reason of collapse, but both sides need to be balanced.

As a psychologist, Aronson stated, politicians have to be attractive, they may not need to be honest. In the Xinhua website, there is a banner with headline of “in overcoming hardships, premier stands shoulder to shoulder with the people.” Images depict a series of pictures of the tenderness of Primier Wen and the way now he treated the people. It is similar to our chief executive Donald Tsang in To Kwa Wan. The purpose of such propaganda is to persuade, to enhance the positive, kindness and helpful images of the leader. In this viewpoint, there is not a judgment of true or false, but a strong evidence of Aronson’s theory that a charismatic leader need to perform and show his attractiveness.

The way that most people is not convinced with such propaganda in China falls into the one-side argument theory of Aronson. It is not true that the trauma does not contain the dark side. One side argument makes it less convincible, especially for the audience in Hong Kong who are educated and highly informed. However, for the audience in China, they may not perceive the same concept as we do.

Apart from Hong Kong, the media coverage in Qinghai will be in a difficult situation. It is not only because of they want to maintain a good image of the Premier, but also not to induce the emotional contagion effect among the countryman. When the media select the content, they have to consider the consequence. Will the people copy the traumatic emotion? Who and how will they be influenced? What is the most important to the survivors? In my opinion, news content needs to be carefully considered. People in Qinghai may want to know the truth of disaster, or some of them may simply want to instill hope. In some occasions, the victims may be so indifference to the unbearable tragedies and traumatized news are helpless. Psychological condition of these people is very vulnerable that we may impose positive thinking rather than negative energy.


Just to share some other coverages:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/7589664/China-earthquake-kills-hundreds-in-Qinghai.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/2010/0414/In-Qinghai-Province-in-China-earthquake-kills-hundreds-and-levels-buildings

http://chinadigitaltimes.net/china/qinghai-earthquake-2010/

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-04/16/content_9738859.htm