Exploring the evolution of Chinese earthquake news from the constructive journalism perspective based on Chinese news of 35 significant earthquakes in China from 1966 to 2020

Abstract

This paper intends to explore the concept and elements of constructive journalism in the Chinese context through the evolutionary principles and qualities of Chinese earthquake news to discover a future-proof path for constructive journalism. As the research sample, the study selects 35 earthquake news in China that were published between 1966 and 2020. Using the computational communication research paradigm and specific research methods like sentiment analysis, text mining, and econometric statistics, the study analyzes how these articles have changed over time. The research found that the Chinese earthquake news followed the abstract connotation and extension aspects of constructive journalism and had a "National Spirit" topic that differed from Western constructive journalism. From the nebulous "Socialist Spirit" and "Revolutionary Spirit" in the beginning to the symbolic "Anti-earthquake Spirit" and "Tangshan Spirit" in the middle period, and eventually to the distinctive "Disaster Association Community" and "National Community Awareness.” The emergence of the "National Spirit" topic has made it easier for news to switch between positive and negative moods, allowing for more objective and accurate reporting. This makes it possible for news to achieve its objective of promoting positive news and transforming positive feelings into positive action rationale.