Heft 175

Doris Fischer:

Understanding Marketisation Within the Chinese Information Sector - Taking Television as an Example,

Cologne, November 2003, ISBN 3-934156-68-1

28 pp., Price € 3,00 €

This paper intends to enhance understanding of the development of the Chinese information system by analysing some aspects of marketisation within the Chinese television sector. From the arguments presented in this paper it becomes clear that marketisation of television in China is a complex process that does not reveal, yet, any unidimensional target model. Actually the Chinese government still tries to limit marketisation to the least sensitive parts of the sector and has so far refrained from granting either TV stations or TV channels independence concerning economic or content decisions. As a result, though elements of marketisation can be identified, competition within the TV sector is still limited.

Table of Contents:

1. The Media Paradox As Topic of Media Research

2. Commercialisition, Marketisation, Competition and Institutional Change

3. Observing Competition Within the Chinese TV Sector
3.1. Competition for the Establishment of TV Stations
3.2. Competition Between Channels
3.3. Competition at the Programming Level

4. Summary and Conclusion