Seeking Effective Public Space: Chinese Media at the Local Level?

This article explores a hitherto neglected aspect of the contemporary Chinese communication network: media outlets at the county level, the lowest level of the media hierarchy in China. It considers whether county level media outlets constitute more autonomy from the state and thus serve as more effective channels for participation and representation. The findings suggest that although official media outlets at the county level enjoy a relatively more relaxed political environment, their institutional and structural nature, combined with the reporting systemfrom the Mao era and the strong local social network powerfully inhibit them from developing into an arena for critical debate.