China`s Propaganda in the Information Age: Internet Commentators and the Weng`an Incident

Abstract

Ever since the Mao era, propaganda has been the primary vehicle in China for the indoctrination and mass mobilization of citizens. In the last few years however, as China has continued to open up to the outside world and deepen its reforms, it has experienced an unprecedented boom and liberalization of its media sector. While the propaganda regime continues to attempt to guide and shape public opinion, the conventional propaganda apparatus is not as effective as it used to be. This has given rise to a new governing mechanism that employs Internet commentators to direct cyber discussions and create favorable online opinions about the party-state. Accordingly, this paper addresses the new phenomenon of Internet commentators and argues that the creation and increased utilization of such commentators has provided the Beijing government with an up-to-date tool for disseminating and reinforcing party ideology and thought work in the information age. A case study of the Weng`an incident is discussed as a means through which to explore Chinas propaganda regime.