Behind the Lens: Exploring the 'Frontline of China's Diplomacy’ Video Production Practice
Abstract
The 'Frontline of China's Diplomacy' Vlog, produced by China Central Radio and Television (CCTV), has added a fresh viewpoint to news reporting in the mainstream media by providing first-person accounts of key events like visits by Chinese leaders. Although vlogs have been widely used in various fields, most of the existing literature on vlogs focuses on the characteristics, advantages, and challenges of this new form. Scant studies explore the advantages and disadvantages of vlogs on news reporting and audience perception. To this end, the effect of VLOG on news is investigated using in-depth interview. Findings conclude that vlogs in news reporting have some benefits, such as enhancing and expanding the mainstream media news exposure, making related news more accessible and interesting, and improving the user experience through interactive communication. The study does, however, note some difficulties, including the possibility for news information to become muddled as a result of strong personal influence, the usage of rotating anchors which may not align with traditional vlog creation, and the recognition that ‘Vlog+News Report’ cannot replace the strengths of in-depth reporting by mainstream media. As a result, this study suggests that the vlog format may not be suitable for regular use in in-depth news reporting in mainland China.
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