Visual political communication in chinese media – lecture

Faculty of Humanities invites everyone to a lecture by Diana Farkas (Pázmány Péter Catholic University), which will take place on May 25 at 5:00 p.m. in Collegium Maius (Room 307). The topic of the lecture will be "Ritual and Visual Political Communication in Contemporary Chinese Media. The Evolution of Xi Jinping’s Image in Prime-time Evening News (Xinwen Lianbo) During His 3rd and 4th Term Renewals".

The lecture will explore the evolution of research on Chinese visual communication and media propaganda, beginning with studies of sign language, propaganda photography, and propaganda cartoons, and later expanding toward media sociology theories and the social media rituals surrounding the Lunar New Year Gala (Chunwan).

The central focus of the presentation will be the evolution of the political image of Xi Jinping and its visual representation in China Central Television’s prime-time news program “Xinwen Lianbo.” Particular attention will be devoted to the period surrounding Xi Jinping’s third and potential fourth terms in office.

The lecture will also discuss the transformation of Chinese political culture following the 2018 constitutional amendment that abolished presidential term limits, examining how state media gradually construct new forms of political legitimacy. Special attention will be paid to the symbolic elements and photographs appearing in Xi Jinping’s New Year speeches, which are interpreted as subtle indicators of broader ideological and political shifts in contemporary China.