Surprising new recommendations from an unlikely source — an adviser to the Chinese Communist Party — would improve communications at most organizations, including the government of China and every other national government.
The counsel comes from Zheng Baowei, a professor of journalism at the Renmin University of China in Beijing. His article appeared 30 October in China Journalist, a party academic journal, and was translated by the China Media Project at The University of Hong Kong. David Bandurski, an analyst and editor at the Project, wrote about the Zheng piece on 12 November.
Zheng endorses the approach of Fu Ying, China’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, who speaks from her position of experience in the West. From the Project’s translation:
“’Speak early’ means speaking at the first available moment after an event has occurred. It means speak at the beginning, at the point when people are anxious for information and to understand the situation. If at such a moment you clam up and keep silent, this suggests contempt for the public’s right to know and indicates a disregard for the effect speaking can have. …
“So-called ‘speak a lot’ points to the need to speak regularly, with initiative and repeatedly. You need to make people feel your sincerity and candidness, to understand that you are willing to have candid dialogue and interaction, and that you will not intentionally bury or avoid something. …
“To ‘speak clearly’ is about speaking accurately, directly and clearly, allowing people to understand what you are saying and your true thoughts so that ambiguities do not emerge.”
Most of Zheng’s article addresses Chinese journalists in general, and makes recommendations that Western journalists would never follow: When assembling facts for news stories, keep in mind the “soft power” and ability of your nation to influence public opinion internationally. In other words, you journalists should serve as advocates for Chinese policy and culture. Encouraging journalists to serve willingly as government propagandists is inconsistent with the ideals of Western journalism, to put it mildly.
But every Western media adviser would support the idea of getting out your own message first and making it easy to understand. It’s unlikely that the government of China or anywhere else will follow this advice, unfortunately.
