Media Censorship between USA and China-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Compare and contrast media and media censorship between USA and China. Answer: Media censorship is a subtle act of intimidation and suppression of media expression that questions or criticizes the state functioning. Media can be inappropriate for a democratic state and is an indicator of authoritarian regime. Heavy-handed censorship on press is hardly a new phenomenon and can be traced back to 1580s England. This essay is a comprehensive study of freedom of press and its censorship in two countries, USA and China. Countries that are under the tight clenches of media surveillance are Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. The lethality of censorship is more deep-rooted than it is apparent and the paper will precisely explore the areas like the consequences of media censorship, banning of books and suppression of free speech and expression in 21st century. Media censorship is a direct curb of democratic rights that the constitution bestows upon the people. Media censorship has a subtle chain reaction as it not only affects the particular country but d eprives the other countries of eloquent information. The thesis statement of this essay is that although freedom of print media, which is considered the fourth pillar of democracy, is vulnerable in both USA and China, China is more intolerant towards unconfined functioning of the mass media, free circulation of books and pornography in tabloids in comparison to the USA. Problem Statement: the paper revolves around the issues and crisis that has taken place in the countries U.S.A and China due to the autocratic suppression of print media, magazine and pornography in tabloid cannot be easily overlooked. The ideal solution of this scenario of systematic suppression is mass protests by the government and introduction of bills and amendments that will protect the basic rights of free printing that can influence the welfare and opinions of general mass. Unless and until censorship is abolished in the purest sense of the term economic and social oppression will continue to persist insisten tly giving rise to authoritarianism and conservatism. Media personnel are facing inhumane situations like organized violence and threatened environment in both China and USA. In contemporary times, the state of print media and democracy is under deplorable condition, for instance, in China, where a number of journalists were jailed for carrying out their duties under the presidency of Xi Jinping (Phillips 2018). In Macau and Mainland the scenario aggravated with physical tortures with pro-democracy journalists and scholars. In USA, although the constitution allows for an unrestricted flow of information to be dispersed among the public through print media, Trump administration has proliferated the number of arrested of journalists thereby damaging the free spirit of print media (Potter 2018). Gradually, with the introduction of SAPPRFT the journalists of many magazines like New York Times and newspapers Beijing News were banned. Restrictions and consequent termination of a number of journalists from their positions was also executed (Mo unk 2018). In contemporary times, the print media in China has exercised self-censorship in order to report defaming information about its police authorities and public figures like Leung Chun-Yin. Similarly in the USA, the print media has suffered major blows during Trumps regime where a number of journalists lost their jobs clearly substantiating the perils of a new administration can bring in (Mounk 2018). However, when compared to U.S.A, China is perhaps one of the worst authoritarian proprietors of violence on media as it inflicts autocracy through the organized Central Propaganda Department (Kellner 2015). In comparison with China, U.S.A is relatively tolerant towards the free spirit of press. However, there have been a number of factors contributing to a steady decline in the sovereignty of the press. Some examples of these are the several crack-downs which were executed during Obamas administration and the threatening of journalists during campaigns and rallies (Simon 2018). It certainly helps the autocratic leaders to suppress the mass in dire ignorance. If the banning on the books is considered, Governmental control of press in U.S.A and China has resulted in a hostile environment in both the countries. China has evolved to become a regime of strict authority exercising governmental control on press and thereby generating an uncooperative environment for free speech. Chinese print media have succumbed miserably under the political pressures and authorities that impose restrictions on books like Shanghai Baby, Wild Swans and Life and Death in Shanghai (Oppenheim, M. (2018). This atmosphere of hostility towards the book market, which subtly forces ban on a number of books is another instance of the states control of print media. Beijing has inserted a number of restrictions on foreign childrens books like Candy, since books are a major source of knowledge (Ross 2017). CCPs monopolistic control over the publishing houses claiming that the content of the books may threaten the security of the state is another instance of the control of free media. Prior restraint or media censorship is unconstitutional in America, on the other hand, China is unlike U.S.A in exercising dictatorial control over print media, thereby forming a sharp contrast to U.S.A and the amount of freedom which print media and publishing houses enjoy there (Jones 2018). In China there are a number of editorial guidelines that the publishing houses have to confront which has led to a ban on books by the Communist Party of China. The absence of press laws protecting freedom of speech in China for a democratic atmosphere is absent in China (Wigley and Akkoyunlu-Wigley 2017). Chinese Community Party holds a dictatorial position in this regard and was responsible for persecuting journalists, thrusting false charges on authors to curtail the link between their reporting and influencing public opinion. Likewise, in both China and U.S.A, a curb on press is a result of avoiding criticism, to keep the mass ignorant in a subtle manner. The Communist Party of China conditions its power in an authoritarian manner. In fact, like China, in America, the freedom of the press comes repeatedly under strict supervision, for instance with banning of boos like Bridge to Terabithia. The continuous control over press has made the Americans feel vulnerable in front of the colossal institutions and unquestioning power over free bodies (Wigley and Akkoyunlu-Wigley 2017). However, in the USA there is no such state power like China controlling book publication like in China. Media Consumption and power concentration is an important aspect of media censorship. The Chinese Communist Party controls media publications and dictates media consumptions and can also send the journalists behind the bars for carrying out their jobs (Lyn 2017). The Chinese Communist Party has also imposed ban on pornographic elements printed in newspapers, tabloids like Ming Pao and magazines namely in order to promote the values and practices of Communist Party of China in an unhindered manner (Beam 2018). Considering the pornography in the media, it can be said that even in China, restrictions on pornographic elements are primarily due to the negative impact that it can have on the mass (Red 2014). In sharp contrast to this, U.S.A allows a free press uncensored by government agencies acting on the behalf of people. Prior restraint is unconstitutional in America and nobody possesses the right to address press as enemies of people like Trump had (Ditum 2015). In this aspect, China is far behind U.S.A in exercising almost a dictatorial control over print media, forming a sharp contrast to U.S.A and the amount of freedom that media practitioners still enjoy over there. On the contrary, U.S.A being a democratic state has a well-formed legislative and judicial system assuring a free functioning of press, a model that can be followed by countries like China (Lyn 2017). From the above discussion, it can be summarized that democracy in the realm of free speech and print media is in sharp decline in all the countries, but more pronounced in China, and today only 13 percent of the world population enjoys free press. Censorship is the ultimate suppression of free flow of information and proliferating public ignorance. It threatens the very form of democracy and its sacred tenets. The paper analyses how freedom of press is a pre-requisite in the formation of free government and nurturing the growth of an inquisitive mind, critical faculty and open-mindedness of the citizens. In the age of globalization and advanced mode of communication media censorship is nothing less than a setback. Infringement of peoples rights by media censorship in the name of democracy is unethical and unbecoming of democracy. It can be safely concluded that a smooth interchanging of information is a matter of absolute necessity to comprehend the complex functioning of state and i ts direct and indirect influence on the common people. Print media censorship is a common phenomenon more rampant in China, where pro-democracy newspapers, tabloids and books, free printing faced condemnation and repeated attacks from government and police openly. The Chinese government has shown least involvement to promote free functioning of press, beyond the control and supervision of Chinese Community Party in comparison to the media of USA References Beam, C. (2018).Is all pornography banned in China?.Slate Magazine. Retrieved 5 March 2018, from https://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2009/06/they_know_it_when_they_see_it.html Ditum, S., 2015 I Used to Think Being Anti-Porn Meant Being Pro-Censorship. I Was Wrong. 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