A study on media discourse on nuclear energy in China

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to study how the meaning of nuclear power was constructed in pre- and post-Fukushima media discourse in China, and verify whether media discourse had been manipulated to legitimize the development of nuclear power in the country. To this end, this paper integrated qualitative and quantitative methods: computer-assisted content analysis and frame analysis. The findings of discourse analysis on China’s English newspapers were compared with views of interviewed key stakeholders in the field. The paper identified the “progress” package, which entailed China needed nuclear power for economic growth/low carbon growth, as the dominant interpretation in media discourse. The “runaway” package offered by some stakeholders, which entailed nuclear power was unsafe so China should withdraw from it, was excluded from media discourse. The findings showed a high possibility of manipulation over media discourse by the government. This paper also allowed a fuller understanding of the nuclear power issue in China, with the hope of increasing the level of awareness of nuclear safety and promoting public participation within nuclear decision-making.