The Media Image Of Chinese-American Political Elites

In mid-nineteenth century, the Gold Fever in the west America attracted many ethnic Chinese t to leave for America. According to statistics of USCIS, the number of ethnic Chinese who went for America in 1853 is 42, which have sharp risen to 1,3000 in 1854. Stimulated by the demand of Pacific Railroad, the number of Chinese labors who went to America is up to more than ten thousands per annum. The Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population of America in 2012 is about 309 million,and Asian takes 5% of this number.Constrained by their own limitations, the first generation of ethnic Chinese called “three knives” jokingly, which means their main job are cook, tailor and barber and they didn’t really integrated in the local community. But in recent years, more and more Chinese-Americans go in for politics, and they are no longer the marginal people and audience of political election. As Barack Obama started his president career in the White House, he named two Chinese-Americans as minister——Steven Chu and Gary Locke, which have aroused attentions of famous media at home and aboard. In Chinese mainstream media, Chinese-American political elites are shining star among their peer, they have the same origin with Chinese. However, recent years, domestic mainstream media have changed their tune and Chinese-American political elites are labeled” banana man”.These reports reflect the attitude of local mainstream society towards Chinese-American political elites. This study try to explor this attitude through analyzing the media image of Chinese-American political elites in Chinese and America mainstream media——People’s Daily and The New York Times. Then I will analyze the reasons why the reporter and editor represent Chinese-American political elites in their unique way.This study is based on Stuart Hall’s analysis of media representation, adopting the methods of quantitative research and qualitative research, analyzing reports on Chinese-American political elites in People’s Daily and The New York Times from 2000 to 2014 though genre, report tendency and other 8 perspectives.The study found that People’s Daily holds different attitudes to Chinese-American political elites according to different situations. As a group, they are excellent representatives of overseas Chinese, promote communication between China and United State, hold Chinese culture values. However, some of them did something causing threats to China’s national interest. The New York Times represent Chinese-American political elites as representatives of model minority. They are diligent, modest and love their family like traditional Chinese while they also are straightforward, firm and ambitious like most American. The New York Times pay a lot intention to their perform-duty behavior. In international communications, Chinese-American political elites are deemed as transmitters of American values and defenders of American national interest.This study has analyzed these media image based on Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions and principles of news communication.This study analyzed different media image of Chinese-American political elites in People’s Daily and The New York Times and reasons for it. This may help people have a deeper understanding of Chinese-American political elites and offer some experience to the report on Chinese-American political elites.