Amplification of regional discrimination on Chinese news portals: An affective critical discourse analysis. (October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Altman Yuzhu
• Is Part Of: Convergence. Volume 27:Number 5(2021)
• Page Start: 1343
• Page End: 1359
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Subjects: Affect -- CDA -- China -- commentary section -- critical discourse analysis -- IP address -- locative service -- NetEase -- news portal -- regional discrimination -- Tencent; Mass media -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Telecommunication -- Periodicals; Mass media and technology -- Periodicals; 621.3897
• DOI: 10.1177/1354856520977851
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-8565

Abstract

Regional discrimination is a significant social issue that leads to divided societies. In China, people from Henan Province, who are verbally abused by non-Henan users on the Internet, are often victims of regional discrimination. This article presents a case study of Chinese Internet users' discriminatory practice against Henan people in the commentary sections of two major Chinese news portals – Tencent and NetEase. By advancing an affective critical discourse analysis approach with the assistance of content analysis, I analysed user comments on news reports that covered a news event relating to regional discrimination against Henan people. The analysis showed that Internet users' discriminatory practice was notably amplified by the locative IP-address function in NetEase's commentary section. The research findings shed light on the interplay between Internet users' discursive practice and the technological architecture of interactive digital platforms in the context of regional discrimination.