Research On Missouri News Colony In China

This thesis studies American Missourian journalists who came to China and work there in the first half of the 20th century,and focuses on the ideological context of different generations of Missouri journalists,and explores the breadth and uniqueness of the Missouri News Colony in terms of thought and practice.The professional background and alumni organization provided by School of Journalism at University of Missouri helped the Missouri journalists form a network in China,and the state of Missouri from which they came gave them a special western character and Missourian value,which made them pioneers and central power of American journalism in China.The paper focuses on five major journalists,Thomas F.F.Miller,Carl Crow,John B.Powell,Edgar Snow,and John W.Powell,to discuss their journalistic practice and influences.They had little substantial influence on Sino-US relations,but they did have played an important role on specific occasions.Their understanding of Chinese politics was Americanized,and different generations had various beliefs and minds,which was related to their American social background before their coming to China and also related to China’s situation and international affairs after their coming to China,as well as their personal characteristics.Their journalism work in China had multiple faces of idealism and realism,self-interest and self-giving,romantic adventure and seriousness.