While it may be a positive in China that false information is less likely to be spread among the population, how does the population know whether or not their government is the ones spreading false information? Citizens in China do not have as much of a choice on the information they are exposed to. For example, in 2002 there was an outbreak of the SARS virus and China was significantly affected. The WHO declared SARS a “worldwide health threat” but the Chinese government initially kept the severity of the disease and the outbreak from the population (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92479/). Had the government taken action to inform the country about what was happening and how to prevent infection, the spread of the disease could have
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In China, posting negative comments about the government can result in fines of up to $1,800 and even jail time (http://www.onlinecollege.org/2009/07/05/25-shocking-facts-about-chinese-censorship/). There are even people whose jobs solely are to investigate people spreading negative information. So not only are certain websites and keywords blocked, but there are also people enforcing the CPC’s views. Fear is another tool that is used to maintain control. There have been many times where people breaking the rules or going against the government have been made an example of, including of course the Tiananmen Square incident. Is maintaining leadership through manipulation and control really …show more content…
Firstly, as it is harder to find research from China most of the sources consulted are from North America which means they are written from a perspective of an individual living in a democratic society. Secondly, since this paper is being written in Canada bias is unavoidable. Also, the three types of media chosen may not adequately represent media as a whole as there are many other important forms that affect a country. Future research could be done to learn more about the whole media landscape in these countries. Lastly, it is difficult to compare two countries that are so different. China is a communist country with thousands of years of history and culture that is greatly valued by a population made up of mostly individuals born there. On the other hand, Canada is a democratic country that has been heavily influenced by other countries for the entirety its short existence, with a population that boasts many immigrants from around the world. What works in Canada would likely not work in the same way in China or other countries. For arguments sake though, it is useful to have a point of reference to analyze how China’s media functions. The question is do differences in freedom of speech affect the control of the government over the population? When comparing China and Canada the answer is without question yes. The lack of freedom of speech in China has meant for manipulation of the population through the
In China, posting negative comments about the government can result in fines of up to $1,800 and even jail time (http://www.onlinecollege.org/2009/07/05/25-shocking-facts-about-chinese-censorship/). There are even people whose jobs solely are to investigate people spreading negative information. So not only are certain websites and keywords blocked, but there are also people enforcing the CPC’s views. Fear is another tool that is used to maintain control. There have been many times where people breaking the rules or going against the government have been made an example of, including of course the Tiananmen Square incident. Is maintaining leadership through manipulation and control really …show more content…
Firstly, as it is harder to find research from China most of the sources consulted are from North America which means they are written from a perspective of an individual living in a democratic society. Secondly, since this paper is being written in Canada bias is unavoidable. Also, the three types of media chosen may not adequately represent media as a whole as there are many other important forms that affect a country. Future research could be done to learn more about the whole media landscape in these countries. Lastly, it is difficult to compare two countries that are so different. China is a communist country with thousands of years of history and culture that is greatly valued by a population made up of mostly individuals born there. On the other hand, Canada is a democratic country that has been heavily influenced by other countries for the entirety its short existence, with a population that boasts many immigrants from around the world. What works in Canada would likely not work in the same way in China or other countries. For arguments sake though, it is useful to have a point of reference to analyze how China’s media functions. The question is do differences in freedom of speech affect the control of the government over the population? When comparing China and Canada the answer is without question yes. The lack of freedom of speech in China has meant for manipulation of the population through the