CONTENTS

CMO NEWSLETTER N. 03/08

Università della Svizzera Italiana

Lugano, May 2008





CONTENTS

‘Sell To the People’: Perspectives on Chinese p. 2

Commercial Advertising

Giovanna Puppin (Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, Italy)





The New Frontier for the Mobile Telephony: 5

the Value Added Services

Benedetta Prario (CMO, Lugano)





Chinese Media at a Glance: News from China 7

CMO (University of Lugano, Switzerland)





Events, Conferences and Books about China 13

CMO (University of Lugano, Switzerland)









The newsletter is produced by the China Media Observatory. Please

send ideas and suggestions to info@chinamediaobs.org. Articles for

the July edition should reach the Editor by 15 June, 2008.

Editor: Giuseppe Richeri.

Co-editor: Qing Luo.

Staff: Chwen Chwen Chen, Cinzia Colapinto, Benedetta Prario.

Graphic: Cinzia Colapinto, Alessia Padovan, Tania Vanetti.

‘SELL TO THE PEOPLE’: PERSPECTIVES ON CHINESE

COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING

Giovanna Puppin, Ca’ Foscari, Venice, Italy.









Mind-boggling Figures



With a total land area of more

than 9.5 million square kilometres,

a population which exceeds 1.3 bil-

lion citizens and a Gross Domestic

Product (GDP) growth which con-

stantly hits new records, China is

the biggest market in the world.

Also the figures of commercial ad-

vertising are to be taken seriously:

according to the Chinese Advertis-

ing Association (CAA) statistics, in

2006 the annual advertising rev-

enue climbed to RMB157.3 billion

(€15.73 billion), with an increase

Fig. 1 – Beijing beer ad

of 11.1% over 2005. This way,

China managed to hold another

Unfortunately this phase was

supremacy: it became one of the

interrupted by the outbreak of

world fastest-growing advertising

World War II and the civil war be-

markets.

tween Nationalists and Commu-

nists. Soon after the victory of the

Communists and the founding of

Some history

the People’s Republic of China in

1949, advertising was accused of

Professor Hong Cheng at the

being a result of capitalism and

Hong Kong Baptist University de-

subsequently banned. This ne-

fines advertising in China as a

gation became particularly abso-

phenomenon which ‘is both old

lute during the Cultural Revolution

and new’. It is old because it has

(1966-1976), when other forms of

a very long history; it is new be-

communication – all highly ideo-

cause it did not reappear until the

logically developed: propaganda

year 1979.’ Even though the most

posters (Fig. 2), serial pictures and

primitive forms of advertising were

model operas.

traced back to the Western Zhou

dynasty, the concept of modern

advertising entered China in the

middle of the 19th century, thanks

to the foreigners. In the beginning

of the 20th century the first adver-

tising agencies opened and in the

’30s Chinese advertising reached

its golden age before the revolu-

tion. The advertising activities

concentrated in Shanghai and the

most popular advertising images

were the ones of yuefenpai (calen-

dar posters), which depicted young Fig. 2 – Ardently celebrate the 25th

Chinese beauties, in modern and Anniversary of the Founding of the

westernized postures (Fig. 1). People’s Republic of China (PRC)







2

Among the most fashionable ‘local-global paradox.’ Let us take a

slogans in this period: ‘Down with look at two ‘exemplary’ ads.

revisionism!’ and ‘Long live Chair-

man Mao!’ In 2004 a Nike TV ad caused

a great fuss. It was composed by

In 1979 the new policy initi- five levels and the style was a mix-

ated by Deng Xiaoping opened the ture of a videogame and a martial-

door to advertising, which became art movie from the ’70s. The main

fundamental in China’s economic character, the famous NBA player

growth. The first print ad after the James LeBron, had to fight several

Cultural Revolution appeared on enemies in order to have access

the pages of Tianjin Daily; soon to the next level. Unfortunately

afterwards advertisements were the evil character he defeated co-

broadcasted on television, radio incided with the most largely em-

and gradually started to promote ployed symbols of Chinese tradi-

foreign products. tional culture: a gongfu master,

some fascinating Apsaras and a

The Chinese advertising ac- pair of dragons (Fig. 3). This ex-

tivities began to fully flourish only plains why, according to the State

in the ’90s, thanks to the spread Administration for Radio, Film and

of television. New slogans such as Television (SARFT), the Chinese

‘Development is the indisputable regulatory body of the audiovisual

truth’ and ‘Let some people get sectors, this ad violated regulations

rich first’ made way for free market that mandate that ‘all radio and TV

and consumerism. To improve the ads should uphold national dignity

previous legislation in the ad-ver- and interest and respect the moth-

tising sector, the State Ad-minis- er land’s traditional culture.’ The

tration for Industry and Commerce ad was defined blasphemous and

(SAIC), the Chinese regulatory therefore banned. Moreover Nike

body of industrial and commercial had to apologize publicly.

sectors, issued in 1994 the ‘Adver-

tising Law of the People’s Republic

of China.’





Good vs. Evil Ads



In the past, foreign advertising

agencies were permitted only to es-

tablish joint-ventures through local

partners and their ownership could

not exceed 49%. Since Decem-

ber 2001, when China joined the Fig. 3 - Kongju doushi (Chamber of

World Trade Organisation (WTO), Fear)

wholly foreign-owned enterprises

(WFOEs) are gradually allowed to

operate in advertising services. Coca Cola chose a completely

An opportunity too great to let different marketing strategy: ‘think

slip away. In a situation evolving local, act local.’ It turned out to be

so quickly foreign multinationals successful, as Chinese consum-

still have to be cautious in order to ers prefer the emotional appeals

avoid hurting Chinese consumers’ pointing at guoqing (national sen-

sensibility and finding their way timent) employed by the US giant

out from what professor Wang Jing rather than the nationalistic and

at the Massachusetts Institute of patriotic styles used by its Chinese

Technology (MIT) referred to as the counterpart (Feichang Kele, Fu-





3

ture Cola, produced by Wahaha). References

A well-executed example is a TV Cheng, Hong. 1996. ‘Advertising in

China: a Socialist Experiment.’ In Adver-

ad, shot in 2005, which portrayed tising in Asia. Communication, Culture

the Chinese athlete Liu Xiang walk- and Consumption, ed. K. T.

ing down the streets of Paris, all Frith, 73-102. Ames: Iowa State Univer-

alone on Chinese New Year’s Eve. sity Press.

The atmosphere was sad: he had Hestler, Anna. 2005. Shanghai Posters:

the Power of Advertising. Hong Kong:

just phoned back home to tell his FormAsia.

family he could not be there to cel- www.coca-cola.com.cn

ebrate the festival as he promised. www.finance.sina.com.cn

www.nike.com.cn

He entered a restaurant, in a www.wahaha.com.cn

desperate attempt to cheer himself

up, but in front of a poor plate of

jiaozi (dumplings) and an unhandy

fork he felt even worse! Luckily he

ordered a can of Coke: once he Giovanna Puppin is currently a PhD candi-

date in Chinese Studies at the Ca’ Foscari

opened it, two cartoon-style chil- University of Venice in Italy.

dren - afu and axi, some Chinese Contact: giovannapup@yahoo.it

traditional auspicious symbols -

magically appeared in order to

bring him home (Fig. 4). Of course,

the end was an happy one.









Fig. 4 – Dai wo hui jia (Bring Me Home)





As an ancient Chinese saying

(ruxiang suisu) reminds us, when

you are guest in a country you had

better behave according to the lo-

cal costumes.









4

The New Frontier for the Mobile Telephony:

the Value Added Services

Benedetta Prario, China Media Observatory.









In recent years the effects of bile TV). According to the contents

the convergence between infor- and applications, the services can

matics, telecommunication and be classified into communications,

media industry are more and more business and trading, information

evident. One of the results emerg- support and entertainment. To

ing from this convergence is the better understand the penetration

development of the so called mo- and success of the mobile VAS, it

bile Value Added Services. A val- is important to introduce the eco-

ue-added service (VAS) is a term nomic and political environment

for non-core services or, in short, in China from the perspective of

all services beyond standard voice telecommunication industries ana-

calls and fax transmissions. On a lyzing their possible influence on

conceptual level, they add value to mobile VAS in China. Since 2003,

the standard service supply, spur- the economic development has led

ring the subscriber to use their to a significant improvment of the

phone more and allowing the tele- living standard of Chinese people.

com operator to drive up their Av- Demand on housing, car manufac-

erage Revenue Per User (ARPU). tures and telecommunications is

Recently, the market of mobile increasing strongly. This enlarges

communications has developed the Chinese telecommunication

very fast in China. Mobile phone market, and provides also an eco-

is affecting the way of people’s life nomic guarantee for the develop-

and correspondingly, mobile VAS ment of the telecommunication

increases also very fast. Both the services. Therefore, the economic

amount of mobile users and the re- development affects not only the

quirement of the users on different total amount of the telecommuni-

kinds of services ascend greatly. cation requirements, but also the

So far, about 80% of mobile phone trend of the content changes. Af-

subscribers use VAS. The revenue ter some basic telecommunication

increase of mobile VAS has exceed- requirements have been satis-

ed the increase of other telecom- fied, people want more and more

munication services. In 2006, the comfortable, intelligent, individual

revenue of mobile VAS was RMB70 and entertainment services. How

billion (€6.3 billion) and it is ex- to provide more value added ser-

pected that in 2008 the market of vices and keep the increase of the

mobile VAS can reach RMB126 bil- revenue has become the focus for

lion (€11.4 billion). Referring to the the telecommunication enterprises

mobile VAS supply, it is possible in China. Receiving/sending Email

to individuate more than 70,000 and network browsing are widely

types. These services can be di- required and used. In addition, the

vided into mobile Internet content/ individual services, such as down-

application services, mobile Inter- loading from the networks are also

net access services and mobile val- currently welcome. Moreover, us-

ue added voice services. According ers from different cities display

to the platform, mobile VAS can also great interest in online games.

be classified into five categories Other inquiries have also revealed

at present in the Chinese market. that the customs who have not

They are SMS, MMS, WAP, JAVA/ used VAS show low interest for the

BREW, IVR (Individualized Ring- existing services, nevertheless,

ing) and CRBT (Colour Ring Back they are interested in some new

Tone) and streaming media (mo- emerging services, such as online



5

translation, pictures upload etc. in a joint-venture company.

Furthermore, the political en- It is now important to notice

vironment affects also the devel- that the pricing strategies of the

opment of the telecommunications VAS services depend on the dif-

and the market of mobile VAS. The ferent operators: China Mobile,

major points regarding the regula- China Unicom, China Netcom and

tion of the Chinese national tele- China Telecom. The price structure

communication market are sum- consists of two parts: communica-

marized as follows. tion fees and service provider fees

• In December 1993, the State (content, application). Without go-

Council authorized the construc- ing further into detail of the differ-

tion of China Unicom Corporation ent supplies it is relevant to note

Limited, and defined the concept of that all price levels are government

basic telecommunication services controlled and that the VAS pricing

and value-added services for the strategy may change according to

first time. the market condition and business

• According to the “Telecommu- strategy of the operators.

nication Regulation of the People’s Nowadays, the market of mo-

Republic of China” issued by the bile VAS is not controlled only by

State Council in September 2000, the national tlc operators, because

VAS includes 9 services: E-mail, foreign candidate companies can

voice mail box, online information provide VAS in the Chinese mobile

storing and searching, electronic communication market, as well.

data exchange, online data and To offer mobile VAS in China the

trade processing, value-added fax, foreign operators have to pass 3

Internet access services, Internet phases:

information services, video confer- 1. Partnering with a Chinese

encing. company

• On December 8th, 2003, 2. Applying for a license as a

the Committee of the Internet service provider

News and Information Service of 3. Cooperating with a mobile

the Chinese Internet Association operator

was founded. More than 30 Inter- These steps are mandatory due

net news and information services to WTO and Chinese market regu-

companies, such as People’s Net, lations. The opening of the Chinese

Xinhua Net, China Net, Sina, Sohu VAS market to foreign players as

and Wangyi etc. signed together agreed upon when joining WTO in

the “Common Agreement of Inter- 2001 took place but market entry

net News and Information Servic- was difficult for foreign companies

es”. Under this agreement, these in the past. As a consequence of

companies promised to accept the the past situation until now about

government administration and 16,000 Chinese companies and

public supervision. only 5 foreign invested enterprises

• Depending on the “Refer- got service provider licenses grant-

ence Process for Telecommunica- ed. Some more foreign invested

tion Opening” signed when China telecoms enterprises (FITE) ap-

joined the World Trade Organisation plications are currently processed.

(WTO), the stock of value-added This could change as the Ministry

telecommunication services held of Information Industry is changing

by the foreign capitalists should policies towards an easier market

not exceed 50%. At the same time, entry for FITEs: while in the begin-

China would cancel the region re- ning MII required that only newly

striction of VAS completely. The founded FITEs could apply for a li-

opening range of mobile voice and cense now the existing FITEs are

data services will expand to 14 cit- allowed to apply for licenses.

ies. Foreign capital may reach 49%





6

CHINESE MEDIA AT A GLANCE: NEWS FROM CHINA

China Media Observatory, Lugano.









SARFT Releases List of Ap- Cubavision Inter- Discovery Net-works

proved Foreign Satellite national ASIA



Channels 2008 ESPN Asia Eurosports News



The State Administration of Hallmark Channel HBO Asia

Radio, Film and TV (SARFT) has Horizon Channel KBS World

approved 33 channels for broad- Xing Kong MTV Networks Asia

casting in foreign compounds and Pacific



hotels with three-star ratings or Macao Asia Satel-lite NHK World Pre-mium

TV

higher in 2008. The list includes

National Geographic Phoenix Chinese

four more channels than last year, Channel Asia Channel

notably ESPN (the American Enter-

NOW TV (Hong Kong) Phoenix Movie Chan-

tainment and Sports Programming nel

Network) and Star Sports (ESPN Phoenix Infonews Star Sports

STAR Sports, or ESS is a joint ven- Channel

ture based in Singapore between STAR Movies TV5Monde Asie

ESPN and STAR TV), which were Sun TV TVB 8

dropped from the list SARFT issued TVB Xing He Chan-

at the start of 2007 and quietly re- nel

instated later in the year. The other Source: CMM Intelligence – March

two new entrants include KBS World 2008

(officially launched in 2003, it is

the satellite window of the public

Korean broadcaster) and CubaVi- SARFT Extends Primetime

sion (the Cuban satellite television Ban on Foreign Animation

broadcaster). TV stations will be banned from

Foreign channels in China are airing foreign animation - including

relegated to broadcast in hotels shows with puppets - between the

and “foreign compounds” only and “golden hours” of 5 pm and 9 pm

must pay for transponder space from May 1, 2008. SARFT released

on Sinosat, one of China’s domes- a new regulation extending the

tic satellites even if they already current ban on foreign animation

have satellite coverage over China. during prime time TV by one hour,

Distribution is controlled by CCTV according to the industry regulator

(China Central Television) subsid- the move is designed to “spur the

iary China International TV Cor- domestic cartoon industry”.

poration (CITVC) which takes the Under the regulations, TV sta-

lion’s share of revenue for acting tions may only broadcast domes-

as an agent. tic cartoons approved by SARFT or

provincial broadcasting authorities

Table 1 - The 33 foreign TV channels

during children’s primetime. Broad-

approved to broadcast in China in

2008 casters need to seek approval from

SARFT before airing Sino-foreign

Foreign Channels Foreign Channels

co-productions during these hours.

AXN Asia BBC World

They need to broadcast at least 7

Bloomberg TV CNN Interna-tional

Asia Pacific

hours of domestic animation for

every 3 hours of foreign animation

Celestial Movie Chan- Channel News Asia

nel overall.

Channel [V] China Entertain-ment

The regulations warned TV

TV (CETV) stations they must not buy or re-

Cinemax CNBC Asia broadcast unauthorized programs,



7

and expressly forbade them from networks. The ministries involved

broadcasting pirated or prohibited are the National Development and

foreign animation. SARFT said they Reform Commission, Ministry of

will be punished severely for violating Science and Technology, Ministry

these regulations. of Finance, Ministry of Information

Domestic animation was the Industry, State Taxation Adminis-

fastest growing sector in China’s TV tration and the State Administra-

industry in 2007, with output grow- tion of Radio, Film and TV.

ing by more than 92% per annum to In 2008, the country will broad-

82,300 minutes of new content. cast the 2008 Beijing Olympics to

Source: China Daily – February 28, 2008 the world in high-definition TV for-

mat. By 2010, the existing cable TV

networks in all cities above county

TV Animation Production Up in level in eastern and central prov-

2007 inces of China will be digitalized.

Preferential government policies The switch-off has been set in

helped make animation one of the 2015.

fastest growing segments of the TV Industry insiders say the pol-

content production industry in China icy has broken with the previous

in 2007. To encourage growth, the government policy, which required

government established a number telecom and television network op-

of national animation industry bases erators to conduct their business-

that enjoy a number of preferential es separately. By doing so, it has

policies. The output from these na- paved the way for the development

tional animation industry bases grew of value-added services by TV sec-

58% year-on-year to 132 cartoon se- tor firms and IPTV (Internet Proto-

ries in 2007. Altogether, the main cit- col TV) services by telecom opera-

ies like Hunan, Guangdong, Jiangsu, tors. The Ministry of Information

Shanghai, Beijing and Shandong ac- Industries also helped establish a

counted for 79% of the total official new digital TV common interface

output in China. conditional access (CA) separation

Source: CMM Intelligence - March 2008 standard in February 2007, paving

the way for future cooperation be-

tween telecom and television net-

New Digital TV Policy Pro- work operators.

motes Three Networks’ Con- Source: CMM Intelligence – March

2008

vergence

Promoting the convergence of

the “Three Networks” – namely the

internet, digital TV and telecommuni-

China Produces 40 Episodes

cations networks – is one of the ma- of TV Drama Every Day

jor aims of the new Chinese policy to TV dramas are getting more

encourage the development of the and more popular in China. Most

digital television industry. Chinese people spend at least one

The policy, released by the State hour a day watching TV dramas.

Council on January 1, 2008, sets out Meanwhile, the number of produc-

a number of goals and measures tion studios has surged from 432 in

designed to speed up the digital TV 2001 to 2,511 in 2007. In terms of

development in China over the next content, 2007 saw a growing trend

10 years. Six government ministries towards TV dramas based on real

formulated the policy and pledged to life stories. Two TV dramas based

work together to speed up the roll-out on the life of the young Chairman

of digital TV services, and promote the Mao and Chinese immigrants liv-

construction information infrastruc- ing in the Gobi desert were among

ture such as broadband, digital TV the ten highest rated programs

and the third-generation (3G) mobile aired by CCTV last year. Altogeth-





8

er, 388 “real life” TV dramas were Online In-Game Advertising

produced in 2007, accounting for to Reach RMB250 Million in

around 73% of national output. TV 2008

dramas are a significant source of Online in-game advertis-

income for the bulk of Chinese TV ing revenues are expected to hit

channels, because they generate RMB250 million (€24 million) in

more than half the advertising rev- 2008 after reaching RMB120 mil-

enues reported by around 89.4% lion (€11.52 million) in 2007, ac-

of TV channels in China. cording to a new report from iRe-

Source: CMM Intelligence – March search, a research firm in China.

2008

More and more game companies

are expected to focus on in-game

advertising in the future and it is

Advertising Sector Growth estimated that the market will con-

Slows To Below GDP in 2007 tinue to grow to more than RMB1

China’s advertising market billion (€95.99 million) in 2011.

grew by just 9% in 2007, com- Source: CMM Intelligence - March

pared to the Gross Domestic Prod- 2008

uct (GDP) 11.4%, according to a

new report from CTR Market Re-

search, a leading market research DAB Roll Out in China

company in China. It was the first Commercial Digital Audio

year the advertising market grew Broadcasting (DAB) services have

at a slower rate than GDP. been on air in four cities through-

Tian Tao, vice president of CTR out China following governmental

Market Research, said total ad rev- approval by the State Administra-

enues in China were RMB312 bil- tion of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT).

lion (€29.95 billion), excluding the The Chinese government has stan-

Internet and new media ad reve- dardized DAB in September 2006.

nues. The internet and new media To date this is the only European

markets maintained steady growth, digital broadcasting standard to

despite the apparent slowdown in be adopted in China. The current

other sectors, such as print. In- licenses, which have been awarded

ternet ad revenues increased 48% to five regions, Beijing, Shanghai,

year-on-year to a total of RMB11.6 Dailian and Guangdong and Yun-

billion (€1.11 billion), making it nan, put a limit on the amount of

the fourth most profitable adver- data/video services that can be

tising sector after outdoor adver- used on a multiplex. Radio Beijing

tising. TV continued to dominate Corporation has been one of the

the traditional media with ad rev- key industrial drivers for the quick

enue growth of 12%. In contrast, roll out of DAB in China. In Novem-

ad revenue growth reported by the ber 2006, Radio Beijing Corpora-

print sector slowed significantly. tion launched ten digital audio and

In 2008, Tian Tao forecasts the two mobile video programs. The

Olympics will drive the TV’s share services have since been increased

of the total ad spend up rapidly, to 15 DAB digital radio and 6 Digi-

leaving the print sector with an tal Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB)

even smaller slice of the pie. The services using a free-to-air busi-

up-and-coming Internet and LCD ness model. By the first quarter

(Liquid Chrystal Display) advertis- of 2008, 4 more transmitter sites

ing sectors will continue to expand, will be completed which will allow

starting the real battle for adver- for 86% coverage of the city. By

tising dollars against traditional June 2008, Radio Beijing Corpora-

media. tion will offer 20 DAB, 6 DMB and 3

Source: CMM Intelligence - March Data programmes as well as ensur-

2008

ing Olympic stadium coverage. In



9

fact, Beijing will be the first city in will go to fixed-line carrier China

the world to broadcast the Olympic Network Communications Group

Games via DAB/DMB to interna- (China Netcom), which will likely

tional visitors. change its name to China Unicom.

Sources: Radio Beijing Corporation, China Unicom’s CDMA (Code Divi-

SARFT - April 2008 sion Multiple Access) network will

be merged with China Telecommu-

nications Group (China Telecom),

China’s New Information Su- another fixed-line operator.

per-Ministry to Streamline Source: Washington Post - March

Telecoms 2008

As part of a major ministerial

reorganization in China, the min-

istry that governs telecommunica- BBC Launches “Beautiful

tions and the Information Technol- China” Documentary Serie

ogy industry will enjoy expanded Beautiful China, a television

powers. Under the plan, which will documentary series featuring nev-

create five new super-ministries in er-filmed-before wildlife and natural

an attempt to streamline China’s landscapes, was officially launched

huge bureaucracy, the Ministry of on May 10, 2008. The series was

Information Industry (MII) will take co-produced by the BBC Natural

over some administrative oversight History Unit and China Television

and decision-making functions Media, the production arm of China

previously enjoyed by the National Central Television (CCTV), making

Development and Reform Council it the first cooperation of its kind

(NDRC). The MII will also incorpo- between the BBC and a Chinese

rate the State Council Informatiza- television channel.

tion Office (SCITO) and the military Shot entirely in High Definition

IT research arm Commission of Sci- format over five years, Beautiful

ence, Technology, and Industry for China is one of the most expensive

National Defense (COSTIND). MII, documentaries to be produced in

which will be known as the Minis- recent years with a total budget of

try of Industry and Information, RMB68.79 million (€6.4 million).

regulates telecom carriers, sets IT The six episodes in the series take

industry standards, and oversees viewers on a journey through Chi-

electronics manufacturing.Though, na’s natural and cultural heritage,

the implementation timeline is un- exploring famous landmarks like

clear, at the moment. the Great Wall, the Yellow River,

One of top priorities for the Mount Everest and the Yangtze

new super ministry is the long- River.

awaited reorganization of China’s The BBC has already licensed

telecommunications carriers. The the series in more than 25 coun-

existing companies are expected tries, including Australia, France,

to be re-apportioned into three Germany, Canada and Russia, with

entities, each providing fixed-line more agreements expected to fol-

and mobile offerings. The coun- low. CCTV has announced it will air

try’s largest mobile operator, China the series soon. John Smith, CEO

Mobile, is expected to be combined of BBC Worldwide, said he believes

with China Railway Communica- people around the world want to

tions, a small fixed-line provider learn more about China’s wildlife,

set up by the Ministry of Railways. history and landscape right now,

The other mobile operator, China as the upcoming Olympics have fo-

United Communications will be cused the world’s attention on the

split into two parts. The operator’s country.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Source: CMM Intelligence - April 2008

Communications) mobile network



10

in the upcoming Beijing Olympics

Waiting for 08-08-08. as the high-speed wireless connec-

tion service and related products

were formally delivered on April

28, 2008. China Mobile, China’s top

wireless operator, and South Ko-

rean cell phone producer Samsung

presented 15,000 3G handsets,

plus data cards and nearly RMB3

million (€279,300) of calling fees,

to the Beijing Organizing Commit-

tee for the 29th Olympic Games

here on April 28.

With the offer, work staff and

volunteers of the Games can en-

China Daily and Sohu.com

joy high-speed data transmissions,

Signed Strategic Partner- which allow them to watch tele-

ship for Beijing 2008 vised games, play videos, and surf

China Daily, the official Eng- the Internet on cell phones.

lish language newspaper in China The service is based on the

and elected as the official publish- Chinese 3G standard, known as

ing journal for Beijing 2008, and TD-SCDMA (Time Division Syn-

Sohu.com, one of the leading Chi- chronous Code Division Multiple

nese traditional portals and elect- Access). China Mobile has basically

ed as the official Internet content finished construction of the TD-

service sponsor for the Olympic SCDMA network in eight cities, five

Games, signed an agreement for of which are to host events for the

a strategic partnership on last 18 Beijing Olympics in August, includ-

April in view of the coming Olym- ing Beijing, Shanghai and Tian-

pic Games. jin, said the company. China has

China Daily is distributed in promised to provide 3G service for

more than 150 countries in the the Games.

world. Sohu.com will report to the China Mobile is the sole co-

world all the events and compe- operative partner for the Beijing

titions of the Games in five lan- Olympics in mobile communica-

guages – Chinese, English, French, tions services while Samsung is

Spanish and Arabic. Beyond the the only one in mobile terminal

joint report for Beijing 2008, ac- supply. China Mobile started the

cording to the agreement, both commercial trials of 3G services in

partners will cooperate in the ar- the country on last April 1.

eas of cross-media interactive The International Telecom-

platforms more deeply. China Dai- munication Union recognized TD-

ly will provide Sohu.com everyday SCDMA as one of the world’s three

with exclusive English contents, official 3G standards in 2000. The

while Sohu.com will daily select other two are Europe’s WCDMA and

exclusive contents and blogs that North America’s CDMA 2000.

will be translated into English for Source: China Daily Online - April 29,

China Daily to reprint. 2008

Source: China Youth Daily - April 19,

2008





Project “Communications in

the Olympics”

3G mobile service available Taking the Beijing 2008 Olym-

for Beijing Olympics pics as a fresh case in communica-

The third-generation (3G) mo- tions, this project aims, on the one

bile phone service is ready for use

hand, to create a cross-cultural ap- tacle and entertainment. This con-

proach between East and West in tent will be determined through

the contemporary “Olympics Com- a process of negotiation between

munication Complex”, and on the different stakeholders at the local

other hand, it attempts to inves- and international levels with differ-

tigate the role of communication, ent political, economic, social and

especially the mass media, in con- cultural aims.

struction of the social value of the Secondly, a questionnaire sur-

Olympics, with a reflection on the vey investigation will help to get a

change of paradigm occurring with deep insight into the international

the advent of the Internet and the public. The questionnaire will in-

need to develop new regulations in volve the roles of four types of

the communication framework of mass media (TV, radio, press and

the Olympics. new media like internet and mo-

The project is promoted by bile). Through the content analy-

the Information Office of the State sis and questionnaire, it is possible

Council and the International Olym- to identify how the 2008 Beijing

pic Committee and organized by the Olympic Games are reinterpreted

Asia Media Research Centre at the by different types of media from

Communication University of China different countries; how people

in Beijing and co-organized by the from different regions relate to

Olympic Studies Center at the Au- and with the Olympic Games; what

tonomous University of Barcelona kind of changes will take place in

in Spain, the China Media Obser- terms of the international image of

vatory at the University of Lugano Beijing and China before and after

in Switzerland and the Global Key the 2008 Olympic Games.

Visual Network at the Jacobs Uni- The conclusion will reflect on

versity of Bremen in Germany. the challenges facing the ceremo-

The study will mainly focus on nies’ organizers for Beijing 2008

the most representative audiovisual and how threats to intercultural

communication of the 2008 Beijing understanding may be tackled af-

Olympics. With the cooperation of terwards.

10 research centers and agencies LUO Qing and ZI Yunxiao, Communi-

around the world, 10 supervision cation University of China, China.

centers will be set up to complete

worldwide research and investiga-

tion into the audiovisual communi-

cation analysis of the 2008 Beijing

Olympic Games.

First of all, a comparative con-

tent analysis surrounding the main

2008 Beijing Olympic events will

take place in the 10 correspondent

countries, in order to identify how

Beijing (as host city) and Chinese

national culture were represent-

ed in each particular context and

the type of narratives adopted by

broadcasters.

The difference between these

inter-broadcasters on the basis of

officially provided statements will

have reference to the elements of

Olympic protocol, national repre-

sentation and the communication

of host identity, as well as spec-





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EVENTS, CONFERENCES and BOOKS ABOUT CHINA

China Media Observatory, Lugano.



International Conference on Communications (ICC 2008)

Kunming, China, May 19-23.

The 2008 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC 2008)

will be held in Beijing, with the theme “Communications: Faster-Higher-

Stronger”. This symposium is hosted by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies

(NIAS) and sponsored by the Norwegian Research Council, Programme of

Cultural Studies KULFO. For more information, visit: http://www.shuoshu.

org/



Changes and Challenges: China’s Media Today

University of Westminster, UK, June 12.

Continuing rapid changes in China mean that the media are confronted

everyday with new problems and new challenges: eventual changes in

the ownership of Chinese media and the 2008 Olympic Games in China

versus restrictions on domestic reporting. The way the media, both inside

and outside China, report on the economy and society is changing all the

time. This one-day conference aims to discuss the current situation both in

the Chinese media and foreign reporting of China. A main focus will be on

the investigative journalism in China. For further information, visit: http://

www.wmin.ac.uk/mad/page-1264



2008 Global Communication Forum

Shanghai, China, June 21-22.

The 2008 Global Communication Forum, organized by Shanghai Jiaotong

University in collaboration with the Global Communication Research Insti-

tute and the School of Media and Design at Shanghai Jiaotong University,

the Faculty of Communication and School of Literature at Purdue University

and the International Communication Association (ICA), is divided into the

academic and professional sections. The theme of the 2008 Forum is dedi-

cated to “New Media and Social Transformation”. The Forum will be held

both in English and Chinese. For more information please visit http://smd.

sjtu.edu.cn/log.jsp?id=32





New & Notable Books



PENG Lan, Zhongguo wanluo meiti de di yi ge shi nian [The First

Decade of Internet in China], University of Tsinghua Publishing House,

2006.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the development of In-

ternet in China from 1994-1995 to 2003 by examining its main waves. From

a kind of laboratory experience in the beginning, Internet has become a

more and more popular tool over years: from the websites established by the

mainstream newspapers (e.g. People’s Daily Online) and some of the lead-

ing Chinese online news portals (e.g. Sina.com), to the increasing number of

Internet providers and in recent years, to the explosion of new forms of com-

munication, in particular blogging and podcasting. As medium, Internet has

become part of the national strategy of economic development. On the one

hand it spurs online advertising: for instance, the ad resources of a leading

portal, Sohu.com, grow from $5,8 million in 2000 to $29,5 million in 2003.

On the other hand, with the advent of Internet new economic sectors such

as short and instant messaging, pay per view services, online games and e-

commerce have flourished.

Visit our website: http://www.chinamediaobs.org



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