Visual Propaganda in Chinese Central and Local News Agencies: A Douyin Case Study

The increasing use of social media by governments necessitates understanding visual propaganda's impact. China's government leverages visual propaganda to influence public emotions. Douyin, China's most popular short-video platform, is a key arena for this activity, with numerous government departments and agencies maintaining active accounts boasting millions of followers. Existing research on Chinese visual propaganda often treats the media as a monolith. This study addresses this gap by analyzing differences between central and local government agencies' use of short videos on Douyin to spread propaganda. The research aims to compare the use of short videos at the central and local levels and develop an analytical framework for examining visual propaganda that considers visual and linguistic elements. The study expects to find differences in thematic focus and emotional tone between central and local agencies' Douyin accounts, reflecting the influence of political authority within China's hierarchical propaganda structure.

Governments utilize propaganda to shape perceptions and behaviors. Propaganda employs various symbolic means, often disseminated through mass media. The internet has revolutionized information dissemination, with short videos becoming particularly effective persuasive tools. Chinese propaganda often utilizes both hard (factual inaccuracies, exaggerations) and soft (subtle persuasion, emotional mobilization) approaches. The Chinese government extensively employs mass media for propaganda, consolidating control and promoting national interests. A key characteristic is nationalism, often employing anti-Western sentiment. Visual effects are crucial in modern publicity, triggering perceptual and emotional responses. Existing research highlights the Chinese propaganda system's emotional mobilization for state-building and regime legitimacy, often using emotions like fear, anger, and shame. However, studies examining disparities between central and local government agencies in using short videos are limited.

This study used a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative analysis. Four Douyin accounts were selected—two central (People's Daily and CCTV News) and two local (The Paper and Sichuan Observation)—based on follower counts. Videos with over 2 million likes were included in the sample (2852 videos). A coding scheme was developed based on existing visual propaganda research, categorizing themes (military, international diplomacy, pandemic prevention, livelihood, festivals), visual characters (soldiers, political leaders, medical staff, other influencers, null lens), and emotional propaganda (anger/disgust/fear, joy/calm, surprise/shock, anticipation/acceptance/respect). Inter-coder reliability was assessed using Scott's pi (0.881). Quantitative analysis involved frequency counts and chi-square tests. Qualitative analysis included case studies of popular videos.

Central news agencies predominantly featured themes of military, police, and firefighting (27.6%), and international diplomacy (22.1%), using visual characters such as soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and political leaders. Their emotional propaganda leaned towards anger, disgust, fear, and intolerance (39.7%). Local news agencies focused heavily on People's livelihood and warmth (70.9%), using visual characters such as influencers and featuring scenery shots; their emotional strategy focused on anticipation, acceptance, and respect (58%). Chi-square tests revealed significant differences between central and local agencies across all three categories (themes, visual characters, and emotional propaganda). Analysis of top-performing videos showed that while central agencies’ most popular videos focused on military power, local agencies’ most popular videos focused on the death of a prominent scientist (Yuan Longping) and natural landscapes, highlighting themes of livelihood and national pride.

The findings demonstrate that central and local news agencies employ distinct strategies in their visual propaganda on Douyin. Central agencies focus on projecting national strength and authority, using imagery and emotional appeals aligned with nationalistic narratives and often critical of the West. Local agencies, however, focus on portraying positive aspects of daily life and local achievements, fostering a sense of connection between the government and citizens. These differences reflect the hierarchical structure of the Chinese political system and the varied roles of central and local governments. The different emotional strategies employed further highlight the subtle ways propaganda is used to build support and maintain social stability.

This study reveals the nuanced use of visual propaganda on Douyin by Chinese central and local news agencies. Central agencies prioritize hard propaganda focused on state power and national pride, while local agencies utilize softer approaches emphasizing citizen well-being and local pride. The findings underscore the complex interplay between political authority, media strategies, and public sentiment in China's evolving media landscape. Future research could investigate the effectiveness of these different propaganda strategies on different segments of the population and explore the impact of other short-video platforms.

The study focused solely on Douyin, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other platforms. The sample of videos was restricted to those with high engagement (over 2 million likes), potentially biasing the results toward more successful propaganda efforts. Future studies should consider a broader range of platforms and engagement levels for a more comprehensive understanding.