Transnational Journalism History and China Matters

Abstract

As a valuable historiographical approach to investigating media and culture in the Asia-Pacific region, transnational journalism history has begun to inquire into the interconnectedness between media landscapes of Western countries and those of the Far East. This article reflects on the historical interconnectedness between Chinese journalism and its overseas counterparts, showing how China matters appeal to the growing discourse of transnational journalism history. It begins with a concise review of the rise of transnational history and its influence on media historiography. Turning focus to the Chinese context, the article explores the entanglements between Chinese journalism history and the discourse of transnational journalism history. It provides examples of media agents, networks, concepts and norms, journalistic content, and journalism education involved in the transnational projects between China and other countries. In doing so, this article envisions possible directions for future research.