摘 要

本文以《经济学人》为研究对象，对杂志进行简要介绍后，选取2014年到2015年两年间的涉及中国新政府的英文报道，深入分析这些文章的内容及其报道框架。采用框架理论进行分析的基础上，全文分为4章。

第一章绪论，介绍了研究背景和研究现状，特别是针对中国政府的报道方面，找到有所欠缺的地方，从而进行补充。

第二章是对框架理论的简要介绍，包括其发展过程和种类，再具体到本所采用的框架理论进行着重介绍，以及影响框架的因素。

第三章是从总体内容框架，具体议题，语言和图画四个维度进行分析，其中语言又分为编者按、写作风格和情感基调。加之图表的辅助介绍，结合了具体的例子进行阐述。

第四章深入分析并解释报道背后的成因。主要从新闻生产的意识形态角度和社会文化角度探讨。

关键字：经济学人、框架理论、民生、反腐

Abstract

This paper studies the Economist. After the brief introduction of the newspaper, I analyze 18 articles with regards to Chinese new government from 2014-2015, aiming at revealing its contents and framing work. Based on framing theory. There are 4 chapters in this paper.

Chapter 1 is the research background and current study about the Economist, especially reports on Chinese new government. I intent to find out what is lacking in current study and fill in the blank area as well as complement the research circle.

Chapter 2 focuses on the brief introduction of frame theory, including development and types, concretely, the methodology used in this paper.

Chapter 3 will be the 4 levels of analysis, general frame, specific topic, language and comic cartoons. Besides, language will be described from editor’s note, writing style and emotional key. And this chapter will use diagram and specific examples to analysis.

Chapter 4 is an in-depth exploration of factors behind the reports, from both ideological impacts and social culture impacts.

Key Words：Economist, Framework, anti-graft, livelihoods

Contents

1 Introduction 6

2 Frame Theory 8

2.1 Theoretical Development 8

2. 2 Research Methodology 9

2. 2 .1 Methodological Approaches to Framework 10

2.1.4 Factors Influencing Frames. 11

3. Framing Analysis 13

3.1 General Framework 13

3.2 Specific topic 14

3.3 Language 17

3. 3 .1 Editor’s Note 17

3. 3 .2 Writing Style 17

3. 3 .3 Emotional Key 18

3.4 Pictures 18

4 Factors Behind Framework 21

4.1 Ideological Impacts on Framework 21

4.2 Culture Impacts on Framework 21

6 Conclusion 23

References 24

Acknowledgements 25

Framing analysis on 2014-2015 news reports about Chinese 

new government and new leaders on 

Economist

1 Introduction

In 1843, Scottish manufacturer James founded the magazine the Economist, published every Saturday. It stands on independent position, famous for its specialization, sharp point and high quality. The journal emphasizes an international perspective and depth of analysis with more than 1 million readers worldwide. As the

Since the 4^th issue of 2012, there is a separate column for China. China has become the second country which owns a separate column in Economist, besides of US. As Economist says, this is the first time to set up a column for one country after 1942, when the US column was founded, which reflects that China really regard to be international force much.

Chinese new government took over in 2013, since then, economic reform, anti-corruption campaign, institute decentralization, military shake-up and other policies have been highly-focused by foreign media. Based on the communication theory, the media constructs the virtual reality which largely determines what people think of the actual reality. Being the major media in British, Economists has the huge own advantage of spreading information. So the aim of analyzing news report about Chinese government on Economists unfolds in the following four aspects. First, we can have an idea about how foreigners feel about China. Besides, compared with the “hard” publicity before, the new government behaves differently, for example, the nickname of Mr. Xi, the cartoon of first lady and new year address. Whether this new type of publicity makes effect can be found in the news report. Third, news report on Economists reflects both accomplishments and deficiency of Chinese new government, the latter one often ignored by domestic media. Therefore, we can be more conscious of mistakes.   By analyzing that, we can know where is the block. At last, domestic media can  draw on the experience of Economists，improving its competitiveness. 

On record, there are few researches in this field by western reports. Greenberg, Josh (2013) completed the research of reports from Washington Post and came to conclude that negative information stand a large part，which determined by its party identity.

On contrary with western research, framing analysis on foreign news report is always the hot point of domestic scholars. Pu Ping and Zhang Wei’min（2009）made a comprehensive research of The New York Times reports about The 2008 Olympics, showing the full coverage and journalistic professionalism of it. At the same time, the western media did reveal problems of human rights, environmental pollution, etc. Zhou Qian’xian (2013) pointed that News Week, the American magazine, tends to report China in a negative way, deliberately to guide audience to look at the problem instead of achievement China has got. Zhao Wei（2015）analyzed the foreign reports about Mo Yan receiving the Noble Prize, in that research, he regarded  the economic relations among nations as one of the major factors that influence the reports. 

There are also specific researches on Economists in domestic. Wei Xue (2014) focused on the column about China while others most study translation and economic reports. So there is no analyzing be directed against reports on the new Chinese government and new leaders.

2 Frame Theory

2.1 Theoretical Development

From the anthropologist Bateson, the framework is a concept of cognitive psychology. He thinks mental framework is a set of messages or meaningful action. (Bateson, 1955^[1])

Later, sociologist Goffman's came up with frame analysis, mainly for research on organization of experience. Then in Frame Analysis, he said the so-called framework refers to the psychological model which is used to explain the objective world.

All our real life's experiences, structure and interpretation are dependent on certain frame. Framework will enable us to identify, understand, draw conclusions, refer events and information.