The Role of Media in Antitrust: Evidence from China

Huyue Zhang

The Role of Media in Antitrust: Evidence from China

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Abstract

This Article examines the media, a neglected but important
institution that plays a role in influencing Chinese antitrust
enforcement. Drawing from the methodology used in communication
studies, the Article conducted a content analysis of 1,394 news
reports on six high-profile Chinese antitrust investigations from 2008
to 2015. The findings demonstrate that in reporting antitrust
investigations, Chinese media tends to be biased against firms under
investigation. Instead of providing a balanced and objective account
of the story, the media was an effective conduit for amplifying the
populist concern, and aided and abetted the regulator in advancing
its enforcement. The Article argues that such an outcome is driven by
at least three factors: the regulator’s strategic leakage of information
to state-controlled media, the rarity of public dissents of agency
decisions, and the populist pressures for lower prices and
nationalism.

Original language	English
Article number	5
Pages (from-to)	473-530
Number of pages	58
Journal	Fordham International Law Journal
Volume	41
Issue number	2
Publication status	Published - 3 Feb 2018

Cite this

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title = "The Role of Media in Antitrust: Evidence from China",

abstract = "This Article examines the media, a neglected but importantinstitution that plays a role in influencing Chinese antitrustenforcement. Drawing from the methodology used in communicationstudies, the Article conducted a content analysis of 1,394 newsreports on six high-profile Chinese antitrust investigations from 2008to 2015. The findings demonstrate that in reporting antitrustinvestigations, Chinese media tends to be biased against firms underinvestigation. Instead of providing a balanced and objective accountof the story, the media was an effective conduit for amplifying thepopulist concern, and aided and abetted the regulator in advancingits enforcement. The Article argues that such an outcome is driven byat least three factors: the regulator{\textquoteright}s strategic leakage of informationto state-controlled media, the rarity of public dissents of agencydecisions, and the populist pressures for lower prices andnationalism.",

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AB - This Article examines the media, a neglected but importantinstitution that plays a role in influencing Chinese antitrustenforcement. Drawing from the methodology used in communicationstudies, the Article conducted a content analysis of 1,394 newsreports on six high-profile Chinese antitrust investigations from 2008to 2015. The findings demonstrate that in reporting antitrustinvestigations, Chinese media tends to be biased against firms underinvestigation. Instead of providing a balanced and objective accountof the story, the media was an effective conduit for amplifying thepopulist concern, and aided and abetted the regulator in advancingits enforcement. The Article argues that such an outcome is driven byat least three factors: the regulator’s strategic leakage of informationto state-controlled media, the rarity of public dissents of agencydecisions, and the populist pressures for lower prices andnationalism.

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The Role of Media in Antitrust: Evidence from China

Abstract

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