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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Xinhua News Agency in Africa |
Author: | Xin, Xin |
Year: | 2009 |
Periodical: | Journal of African Media Studies |
Volume: | 1 |
Issue: | 3 |
Pages: | 363-377 |
Language: | English |
Geographic terms: | Africa China |
Subjects: | news agencies international relations |
Abstract: | China's growing economic influence in Africa, and in the sub-Saharan region in particular, has drawn enormous attention around the world, especially in the West. An important but as yet under-studied aspect of China's increasing presence in Africa is related to the question of whether the party-State will exert its ideological influence on local politics and public space through media expansion in this region. Media initiatives associated with the 'Going abroad' project have been in full swing in recent years, in parallel with the growing concern of Chinese authorities for the mismatch between China's strong economic power and weak media influence. This paper focuses on Xinhua News Agency. Xinhua's major forms of intervention in Africa include setting up bureaux, developing news portfolio targeting African audiences, exchanging news with (or selling news wires to) African media subscribers, and providing technical equipment and support as well as training African journalists. The first two forms of intervention have been on the top of Xinhua's agenda in recent years and are the focus of this article. The increasing presence of Xinhua in Africa sheds some light on the debate on 'media imperialism' and international news flows in the context of China's economic rise. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract] |