Defamation and the media in China.

This study examines defamation and the media in China through a social-legal approach. It challenges the conventional understanding that defamation litigation against the media often includes the conflicting interests of reputation and free speech, and that defamation litigation is used by the Chine...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Chen, Xiao Yan.
Other Authors: Ang Peng Hwa
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10356/41523
_version_ 1826121650584682496
author Chen, Xiao Yan.
author2 Ang Peng Hwa
author_facet Ang Peng Hwa
Chen, Xiao Yan.
author_sort Chen, Xiao Yan.
collection NTU
description This study examines defamation and the media in China through a social-legal approach. It challenges the conventional understanding that defamation litigation against the media often includes the conflicting interests of reputation and free speech, and that defamation litigation is used by the Chinese authority to suppress the media. Through interviews with media lawyers, journalists and editors and analysis of court-published cases and cases from Chengdu, the study found that in the Chinese context, although the media speak with the imprimatur of the state, most cases were started by unprivileged, ordinary people. Often, free speech arguments were not invoked. With commercialization, an economic calculus rather than free speech weighed haevier on the media's decisions in defamation actions. This study also found defamation litigation is less likely to be abused to suppress the media or free speech if the law focuses on redressing reputation and is narrowly defined to serve such a legitimate purpose.
first_indexed 2024-10-01T05:35:58Z
format Thesis
id ntu-10356/41523
institution Nanyang Technological University
language English
last_indexed 2024-10-01T05:35:58Z
publishDate 2010
record_format dspace
spelling ntu-10356/415232019-12-10T11:14:17Z Defamation and the media in China. Chen, Xiao Yan. Ang Peng Hwa Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information DRNTU::Social sciences::Mass media::Media law, ethics and policy This study examines defamation and the media in China through a social-legal approach. It challenges the conventional understanding that defamation litigation against the media often includes the conflicting interests of reputation and free speech, and that defamation litigation is used by the Chinese authority to suppress the media. Through interviews with media lawyers, journalists and editors and analysis of court-published cases and cases from Chengdu, the study found that in the Chinese context, although the media speak with the imprimatur of the state, most cases were started by unprivileged, ordinary people. Often, free speech arguments were not invoked. With commercialization, an economic calculus rather than free speech weighed haevier on the media's decisions in defamation actions. This study also found defamation litigation is less likely to be abused to suppress the media or free speech if the law focuses on redressing reputation and is narrowly defined to serve such a legitimate purpose. Doctor of Philosophy (WKWSCI) 2010-07-16T05:57:03Z 2010-07-16T05:57:03Z 2008 2008 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10356/41523 en Nanyang Technological University 285 p. application/pdf
spellingShingle DRNTU::Social sciences::Mass media::Media law, ethics and policy
Chen, Xiao Yan.
Defamation and the media in China.
title Defamation and the media in China.
title_full Defamation and the media in China.
title_fullStr Defamation and the media in China.
title_full_unstemmed Defamation and the media in China.
title_short Defamation and the media in China.
title_sort defamation and the media in china
topic DRNTU::Social sciences::Mass media::Media law, ethics and policy
url http://hdl.handle.net/10356/41523
work_keys_str_mv AT chenxiaoyan defamationandthemediainchina