Content Analysis of Taiwanese Newspaper Reporting on the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Hsieh, Sung-Yu
Abstract
In a democratic society, the media plays an important role in reflecting public opinions and in shaping people’s political inclinations. As one of the oldest existing media, newspaper remains an indispensible supplier of first-hand information for televisions and the Internet, in spite of the rapid technological advances. Therefore, newspaper serves as a vital channel through which political socialization is achieved. The present study is set against the backdrop of the “Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA).” By the differences of party bias and of attitude towards China/Chinese communists, the six major newspapers in Taiwan are classified into four categories: the pan-blue, the pan-green, the pro-China, and the anti-communist. Empirical analysis method is then employed to make a comparison between the pan-blue newspapers and the pan-green ones, and between the pro-China newspapers and the anti-communist ones. Further exploration is made to detect whether or not differences exist and what the differences are in terms of forms and contents involved in presenting news about the CSSTA by the newspapers of different political inclinations. The different attitudes towards and frames of interpretation about the CSSTA are also examined. Following are the major findings of this study: 1. As far as forms of presenting news are concerned, there are significant differences between the pan-blue and the pan-green newspapers in terms of page priority arrangement, but no significant differences are found in the aspects of form of article and number of words. As for substantive contents, there are significance differences between the pan-blue and the pan-green newspapers in almost all issues except for the ones on salary level and cross-strait interaction. 2. The pan-blue newspapers tend to take up a positive attitude towards the CSSTA, recognizing it as an opportunity; the pan-green newspapers, on the other hand, assume a negative attitude towards the CSSTA, referring to it as a threat. 3. There are significant differences between the pro-China newspapers and the anti-communist ones in terms of page priority arrangement and form of article, but no significant differences are found in the aspect of number of words. Of the twelve items of substantive contents under analysis, significant differences are observed only in five items, with no significant differences found in the rest. 4. In dealing with the CSSTA, the pro-China newspapers and the anti-communist ones together show an attitude more positive than negative. The pro-China newspapers tend to interpret the CSSTA as an opportunity, while the anti-communist newspapers look on the CSSTA as equally both an opportunity and a threat.
Subjects
the newspaper industry in Taiwan
Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement
media inclinations
content analysis
Type
thesis
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