Party Dominance vs. Cultural Imperialism: China's Strategies to Regulate Satellite Broadcasting

Abstract

Transborder broadcasting, especially direct satellite broadcasting, has been challenged as a form of cultural imperialism. Western broadcasters are often accused of creating social instability, destroying local industries and eroding local culture by beaming programs to other countries without permission. Through an examination of the development of satellite broadcasting in China, this study shows that a national government may not be helpless in the face of foreign satellite broadcasting. Through careful planning, a national government may regulate satellite broadcasters as effectively as domestic broadcasters.