1704864516
Regulator
1704864517
1704864518
In this paper,the regulator is conceptualized as an entity that has the power to make the media work in a particular way.It could be a formal regulator vested with institutional power of applying sanctions,or an informal regulator that relies on un-institutional power.Among the formal regulators are the government,work organization,and conceivably in some countries,professional body and industry association,as well as the potential consumers.The formal sanctions that they could enforce could include imprisonment for violators of law,withdrawal of license from media operators,financial penalty on a media organization,recording an offence for the license holder of a media operation,professional disqualification of the media worker,or censure by the professional or industry body.Potential consumers are included here as formal regulators as they hold the power to consumer or not consumer the media in the market institutions.
1704864519
1704864520
Informal regulators include the individual producers themselves,peers in the profession and industry,as well as society at large.The informal sanctions could be guilt and shame,or sense of achievement on the part of the individuals,disapproval/approval by other practitioners or organizations,or disapproval/approval by members of the public.
1704864521
1704864522
In any case of media critique,more than one regulator is relevant.This means individuals and organizations are susceptible to formal and informal sanctions from multiple regulators at the same time.Media critique is the most effective when both formal and informal regulators respond,and act consistently with each other.
1704864523
1704864524
Critic
1704864525
1704864526
The role of the critic lies in providing the evaluation on which regulators could act.Whether the regulators would respond to the critique depends on the power of the critic in relation to that of the regulators,and access of the critique by the regulators.
1704864527
1704864528
The media critic could be an individual or an organization.Individual critics could be professional critics or citizens who perform acts of critiquing from time to time.Professional critics who form part of a media organization,such as ombudsmen and public editors in news organizations,are more likely to command response from the regulators,such as the chief editor,due to the power built into their positions.Other professional critics could be affiliated with professional magazines,or media concern groups.
1704864529
1704864530
Ordinary citizens express views about various aspects of the media from time to time,but these views count as critique only when they are evaluative in nature,and are communicated publicly.Usually this public communication is directed towards formal media regulators or members of the public,for example,as complaints,or letters to the editors.Experts,such as university professors,when acting as critics,may enjoy greater attention from media regulators than other citizens.
1704864531
1704864532
Organizational critics could be professional bodies or industry associations,such as journalist associations and press councils.Like ombudsmen,they act as critics when they initiate assess of performance,and as regulators when they respond to critiques made by others.
1704864533
1704864534
Producer
1704864535
1704864536
The producers of media involve multiple levels of personnel situated in institutions:Individual producers are likely to form part of a team,which constitutes part of a section under a department in a work organization.The work organization could be a commercial company that is privately-run or publicly listed,or it could be a public service organization or simply a part of the government.The nature of the organization sets the constraints and capabilities within which the multiple levels of producers could respond to the regulators.At the same time,individual producers are members of a profession,and work organizations are part of the relevant media industry.
1704864537
1704864538
If the producer or organization responds to the regulators,change could be made to the object being critiqued,which could take the form of retrospective apology,modification or suspension of the product.
1704864539
1704864540
Three Levels of Media Critique
1704864541
1704864542
1704864543
1704864544
1704864545
Recently,scholars in China have made efforts to map the field of media critique/criticism（e.g.Huang Hsinsheng,1991;Lei Yuejie,2007;Wang Junchao,2001）.This paper attempts to contribute to such effort by proposing a typology of media critique composed of three levels:（1）media review,（2）media watch,and（3）media criticism（Table one）.The typology is a development that takes into account,but goes beyond,the distinction usually made between media critique and radical media critique.
1704864546
1704864547
A textbook on media criticism lists these functions of the critic（Orlik,2009）:
1704864548
1704864549
1.Serving as guide
1704864550
1704864551
2.Bridge building between producers and consumers
1704864552
1704864553
3.Entertaining
1704864554
1704864555
4.Suggesting new directions to producers
1704864556
1704864557
5.Serving as a proxy or watchdog
1704864558
1704864559
6.Proposing system-cognizant change
1704864560
1704864561
These functions differ in the degree of change that is aimed at.When media critique serves the first of the above three functions-as a guide,bridge between producers and consumers,and entertainment-it accepts fundamentally the media system and arrangements as they are,and whatever influence that media exerts on the audience and society.If there is any change that these functions may bring about,it is most likely the choice of the potential consumers-of consuming or not consuming the product.
1704864562
1704864563
As for the function“suggesting new directions,”it includes suggesting new subjects,new techniques,and showing the audience“formal interrelationships which bind the work together,meanings which make up its truth,and expressive significance which gives it resonance and depth”（Stolnitz,Orlik,2009,p.24）.The changes sought in this function of media critique relate to programmatic techniques（Orlik,2009）.
1704864564
1704864565
When serving as a proxy or watchdog,the media critic“fairly describe［s］ the operations of media and spotlight［s］ mistakes when they occur.”She also“discover［s］ the concerns of citizens and define［s］ what the public needs to know in very expansive terms,”including“ways our high-profile enterprise interacts in society”（Orlik,2009,p.28）.Whatever change that is proposed to the actual system organization or priorities,however,it must be workable within the（capitalist）system（Orlik,2009）.