Chinese Language Media in Australia: Developments, Challenges and Opportunities
By Professor Wanning Sun
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences University of Technology Sydney
Published by the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) 2016
INTRODUCTION
The size and demographic composition of the Chinese migrant community in Australia has changed dramatically over the past two decades, making the PRC the largest overseas birthplace after the United Kingdom and New Zealand. China has surpassed Japan to become Australia’s biggest trade partner, in terms of both imports and exports. The past decade or so has also seen the rise of China in its increasingly articulate determination to contest and reshape international public opinion. Furthermore, technological developments, especially digital media and communication devices, are radically transforming the ways in which media businesses are run, news is produced, and media content is used. Chinese-language media are no exception. These factors have interacted to result in an exponential—and ongoing—growth in both the scope and quantity of Chinese-language media in this country. These media are also throwing up some major developments that are poised to transform forever the Chinese migrant community media sector.
The centrality of the Chinese press in the historical formation of the Chinese community in Australia has been well established (Sun et al. 2011a; 2011b; Gao 2006, 2013). So has the continued importance of Chinese-language media in the current political, cultural, social and economic life of the Chinese community (Sun 2006; Sun 2014; Fitzgerald 2015; Sun and Sinclair 2016). This importance manifests itself in various ways. First and foremost, the Chinese-language media reflect, represent, and often advocate on behalf of the political, economic, social and cultural interests of Chinese communities in Australia. Second, they play an irreplaceable role in the Australian Government’s efforts to communicate crucial information—policies, rules, regulations—to Chinese-speaking citizens and residents. Third, and unsurprisingly, the Chinese media in Australia have the practical function of maintaining migrants’ command of the mother tongue—in most cases Mandarin—through regular exposure to Chinese-language cultural products. Finally, they play an integral part in facilitating the identity formation of multicultural subjects in an increasingly pluralistic Australia.
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Whereas these functions are widely documented, what is less understood is how, in recent years, the Chinese migrant media have helped shape Australia’s domestic political life. Moreover, little attention has been paid to their potential for playing a role in negotiating Australia’s political, strategic, economic, social and cultural relationships and partnerships with China in the era of China’s rise. In fact, there is very little public knowledge of both the history and current status of Chinese media in Australia, and little discussion about the implications of recent developments; nor is there a clear understanding of the main challenges and opportunities that such developments pose within Australia’s political, economic and social life.
This report takes an important step towards addressing these issues. Among other things, it will:
> provide an up-to-date overview of Australia’s Chinese-language media landscape, including both established and emerging media outlets, in a variety of forms and platforms
> analyse a number of patterns and trends in Australia’s Chineselanguage media sector
> advance several recommendations for Government, business and mainstream media in relation to this sector
> identify key opportunities and challenges that emerge from the sector for the Australian Government, business, the community and mainstream Australian media
> outline possible topics for future academic research.
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