Thesis Proposal

Thesis Proposal
I.Background and Research Plan
This research aims at comparing the differences of the reporting of disaster news between US and China. From this research, readers could find out some distinctions or features of the reports of the two countries. Of course these disparities are related to the cultural differences or values in different nations to some extent. Sometimes it can reflect some deeper consciousness or attitudes in terms of politics (so-called political sensitivity). Realizing this could help us better understanding the mass media in a world view. Furthermore, we can also learn as a lesson by discarding the dross while assimilating the essence.
In the preview researches, researchers have found out the characteristics, the writing principle as well as some basic elements of the disaster report. Further researches are admitted to the writing style of disaster news. As for the comparison, there are some focusing on the specific themes like feminism. Some compare the respective special way of reporting between different news agency as well as the reasons behind it. As the technological progress, even some advanced researcher would relate with the new media like Weibo.
As for the disaster news, several textbooks of media major have offered the basic elements and relevant details. In fact, the disaster report falls into two categories: one is the natural disaster like flood, tsunami etc; the other is disasters of man-made. Some of the troublemakers bear the complaints and resentments towards the government or society and turn their target of revenge to the innocent common people, namely terrorist. Last year saw several terrorist attacks which rise great panic globally. And the terrorist group like IS (Islamic State) act outrageously and attacks become increasingly rampant. Last year, the terrorist attack in Paris let people in the world sink into a panic state. At that time, the news ripped the whole world in the pot. Coverage of this accident spread rapidly and widely, as news agency of every country centering on it. Some even keep the special column of this attack in the official
website until now. In fact, the Paris attack is not a simple accident, but an alarm. Every year people bear the brunt of the threats of terrorist or extremist. As the terrorist groups keeps growing, if effective measures were not taken, we will face bigger and tougher challenges in the future. Above all, this research is full of practical significance.
This research uses the Paris terrorist attack as an example or cut-in point to compare the differences in the reporting of AP (America Press) and the Xinhua News Agency. Moreover, aiming at following the paces of the times (technology) progress, the news columns of Paris attack of CNN and Xinhua (web) would be taken into comparison. Then we can draw the advantages and drawbacks of each news agency and have a rough understanding of the respective characteristics.
II.Outline
The Comparison between US and Chinese Disaster News Report
———Using Paris terrorist attack as an example Chapter One Introduction
Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 Definition of the disaster news
2.2 Elements and principles of disaster news report
2.3 The comparisons of the news report of China and some main countries
2.4 The news report on the Internet
Chapter Three Coverage of Paris Terrorist Attack in the AP, Xinhua agency, CNN and Xinhua (traditional media and web)
3.1 AP VS Xinhua (traditional media)
3.2CNN VS Xinhua (web)
Chapter Four Comparison of Specific Elements in Paris Attack Reports
4.1 Timely
4.2 Subsequent reports (follow-up reports)
4.3 The coverage of the reports
4.4 About the news commentary
Chapter Five Conclusion
III. References
1. James Hollings. Gathering visual images of the 2004 tsunami: Journalists’ challenges and ethical issues. PRism Online PR Journal, 2006, V ol.4 (3).
2. Teun van Dongen. The lengths terrorists go to: perpetrator characteristics and the complexity of jihadist terrorist attacks in Europe, 2004–2011. Taylor & Francis.2014,1.
3. E. Alison Holman, Roxane Cohen Silver. Future-Oriented Thinking and Adjustment in a Nationwide Longitudinal Study Following the September 11th Terrorist Attacks. Motivation and Emotion. 2006, Vol.29 (4), pp.385-406.
4.新浪传媒主编，《中国媒体灾难报道手册（第一版）》。

北京：人民日报出版社，2014.
5.刘海明，王欢妮，《灾难报道伦理研究》。

北京：商务印书馆，2013。

6.张健，英语报刊灾祸新闻写作特点例析，《语言研究》2007（3）。

7.王中伟，刘福利，新疆6·29劫机案中西报道差异——以新华社、美联社、路透社英文报道为例，《青年记者》, 2013(8):70-71。

8.杨勤，新华社、路透社对MH370突发事件英语新闻报道分析，《校园英语》, 2014(21):170-171。

9. /specials/paris-terror-attacks
10. /world/blbz/。