An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Media Diplomacy And The Establishment Of National Image

Against the backdrop of growing globalization, national image has become vital to a country’s survival and development. As to the internal of a country, national image contributes to its ethnic unity and national confidence, while to the external affairs, national image also promotes the political status and economic development of this country, thus rising its power of leadership in the global community. As we can see among the long river of human history, the establishment of a country’s national image is closely related to its media communication. Traditional media such as newspaper, radio and TV has produced great impaction on the development and revolution of the global community. The explosive advances in network communication technology also enhance the diversity and amplitude of new media to a whole new level. In recent years, with the development of the country’s comprehensive national strength, China has been taking a more and more important role worldwide. Therefore, well-managed media diplomacy is in great need. Faced by the situation in which the western countries maintain a strong control of the world opinion, China should make the full use of its home-field advantage to reveal the image of China in a timely and objective way.This paper systematically presents the way on how to conduct media diplomacy and its approach and result through research on the promotion of World Expositions both at home and abroad. It discusses what functions media diplomacy must have in order to positively promote the national image. It also examines the opportunities and challenges confronting media diplomacy and presents questions and solutions by combining media, the carrier of media diplomacy, to conduct research. It provides reference for media diplomacy work in international large-scale events in the future.The first chapter starts with public diplomacy, media diplomacy, national image, the concept and internal connection of agenda setting and combines the current research situation at home and abroad to illustrate the subject of study, point of view, innovation, difficulties and highlights of study.The second chapter mainly analyzes the theoretical background of media diplomacy and discusses the prerequisite of the rise of media diplomacy, its development and the major elements influencing the function of media diplomacy, such as global influence, media management system as well as hard and soft power of media. It also discusses the influence of a country’s strength in the role of media diplomacy by combining the "CNN impact".The third chapter illustrates how World Exposition builds up the national image via media diplomacy through media diplomacy cases in three World Expositions both at home and abroad in recent years and the after-Expo example in Shanghai. It also introduces different national image created by different media diplomacy by comparing the difference and similarities of several World Expositions in aspects like traditional media, new media, media service and outdoor promotion.The fourth chapter uses diagrams and data to introduce the way, method and promotion result of media diplomacy. The setting of agenda is an important factor for conducting media diplomacy, and a complete release mechanism is the basic approach to media diplomacy. It can be seen from the report of overseas media that the Shanghai World Expo builds and lifts China’s national image by successfully completes the two tasks.The fifth chapter presents the opportunities and challenges of media diplomacy and offers effective suggestions, such as grasping a say in the international arena, promoting the exchange of soft power, elaborating values with Chinese characteristics through resources of the government, academic circle, media and the public, increasing the interaction of the government and the public by new media and adopting to the new requirements of new media diplomacy with brand new ideas.