Photographic content in Chinese newspapers

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand forces shaping photographic content and to learn about the content of photographs in a variety of Chinese newspapers. Unstruc tured interviews were conducted with photojournalists and editors at eleven newspapers and Xinhua news agency. They show how politics, economics and journalistic routines shape content. Subject matter, direction and style categories were used to analyze photographs in a sample of nine papers - two with country-wide circulation and seven regional papers. It was found that entertainment was a primary function of photos. Economic news and educa tion/indoctrination also were common subjects. Almost none of the images were negative and more than half were posed.