Master of Chinese Economic and Political Affairs Statement of Purpose

Question

QUESTION

Master of Chinese Economic and Political Affairs Statement of Purpose may include the following information:

Your research interests and/or professional objectives in public policy

How your background has prepared you to pursue these objectives

How the GPS program will help you achieve these objectives

Here is my background information:

I came from China and graduated from a University in California, major in Communication. I spent most of time in the US. However, every time I came back to China for summer, I was always shocked by the rapid change of China. As I planned to work in China after the graduation, the development of China stimulates me to learn about my own mother country. What is more, both my academic and working experience were mostly related to communication or media industry. I realized that parts of media industry can be improved with the help of public policy. 

In October 2017, two days after the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history left 58 dead in Las Vegas, a Chinese self-media publisher released a story on WeChat titled, “After Las Vegas Shooting, People in Texas Bring Guns onto the Street.” It was accompanied by images of moms in supermarkets wearing assault rifles, and others openly carrying firearms in restaurants and on campus. This was an obvious false information, but it was largely spread on Chinese social media platforms. 

Nowadays, self media become one of the most popular communication mediums. Everybody can become a opinion leader within a real short time. However, fact-checking was not highly emphasized in self media. Some self-media sources do not have ethical standards, and the low cost of publishing may also facilitate their ability to spread misinformation. Besides, the incessant pursuit of viewership prompts self-media to act in an even less responsible way.Sensationalist titles and stereotypes can always attract higher viewership, which can be converted into advertising revenues and investment.

Therefore, as an international student who once majored in communication. I am interested in investigating how public policy can help with the self media. Maybe there should be a standard or a qualification certificate in self-media industry. And those people who is qualified can play a role in transmitting information. 

My academic background of communication offered me the insights about of collecting information and transmitting news. Those academic experience made me feel clear about different mediums of transmitting information. By joining such global policy and strategy program, I can learn more about the current policy systems in China, which help me be prepared for my future career. Moreover, by taking course such as Chinese Politics, or Econ and Social Development of China, I can be able to devote more insights into media industry as well.