Human Rights Quarterly publishes Joseph Weber and colleague’s article on press freedoms in China

Tuesday, February 16, 2016 - 6:00pm

Human Rights Quarterly has published an article on press freedoms and credibility in China coauthored by Joseph Weber, associate professor of journalism at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

The article, “How Chinese Journalism Students View Domestic and Foreign Media: A Survey on Credibility, Censorship, and the Role of the Communist Party in Media,” analyzes the results of a survey conducted by Weber and his coauthor, Linjun Fan, a lecturer at Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Shantou University in the fall of 2013. The two were assisted by colleagues at several universities around China.

“What we found could complicate life for Chinese leaders over time,” Weber said. “The students, in general, were critical of the way media are treated in the country. They said they want more freedom for journalists.”

Chinese journalism students were asked their opinions on the credibility of Chinese and foreign media and censorship. They were also asked about the strengths and weaknesses of both foreign and domestic media.

According the abstract the, study revealed “most students in a cross section of Chinese journalism schools call for less censorship, put more faith in Western media than in domestic Chinese media, and do not believe journalists should join the Communist Party…”

(Bryan) Ming Wang, a University of Nebraska–Lincoln CoJMC assistant professor of public relations, assisted in developing research methods for the survey, and former student Yun Hu assisted with translation.

Weber taught at Tsinghua University in Beijing for the fall semester in 2011. He has written about Chinese journalism for the Columbia Journalism Review, National Review and the Washington Post. Before coming to University of Nebraska–Lincoln as a professor, Weber worked in newspapers and magazines for 35 years. He spent most of that time at BusinessWeek, leaving in 2009 as the magazine’s chief of correspondents and Chicago bureau chief.

Read the article

About Human Rights Quarterly: For more than a quarter of a century, HRQ has published articles by experts from around the world writing for the specialist and non-specialist alike. The Quarterly provides up-to-date information on important developments within the United Nations and regional human rights organizations, both governmental and non-governmental. It presents current work in human rights research and policy analysis, reviews of related books, and philosophical essays probing the fundamental nature of human rights as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

Associate professor of journalism, Joe Weber