The Interaction of the Alternative Website and Mass Media

In China: Case Study of www.stopdv.org.cn

Bu WeiProfessor, Institute of Journalism and Communication

Chinese Academy of Social SciencesWeb-master of the www.stopdv.org.cn

Address: P.O.Box 2011, Beijing 100026, P.R.ChinaTel: 8610—64461952

Mobil Phone Number: 13611062843Email: buwei@public3.bta.net.cn

Abstract

In author’s dual role as a scholar and a web-master of the website “Stop Domestic Violence” (www.stopdv.org.cn), the study attempts to explore the process in which an alternative website run by a women’s NGO can influence the society through its interaction with mainstream media in the Chinese context. The website was built in 2001 as part of a project - Domestic Violence in China: Research, Intervention and Prevention, initiated by the China Law Society. The study found that “Stop Domestic Violence Website” is coexistent and interdependent with mass or mainstream media. On one hand, the mass media relies on alternative media. The independent information source from the alternative media with gender, feminist or human rights perspectives makes extensive and in-depth reporting of issues like domestic violence possible by the mainstream media. On the other hand, through mainstream mass media, alternative media of NGOs make its voice heard and its influence felt by the public. It is possible that alternative media and mainstream mass media have positive and constructive interaction with each other. This experience shows Chinese NGOs or women activists are both conscious of taking advantage of new media technology and also active in creating independent sources of information and spreading feminist voice through constructive interaction with the mainstream media in China.

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In author’s dual role as a scholar and a web-master of the website, the study attempts to explore the process in which an alternative website run by a women’s NGO can influence the society through its interaction with mainstream media in the Chinese context.

I. The Concept of Alternative Media in the Chinese ContextThe alternative media is regarded as options outside mainstream media in “World Communication Report” by UNESCO in 19891. The definition goes on that it is a communication system and tradition that can supplement the mainstream media. It appears because the mainstream media fails to fully meet the communication needs of certain groups.2 This definition explains why alternative media exists and what functions it has. The reason for its existence is because “mainstream media fails to fully satisfy the communication needs of certain groups” and its role is to “supplement the mainstream media”.

But I do not think it is adequate to define alternative media as a supplement to the mainstream media. We should think about “why mainstream media fails to full satisfy the needs of certain groups”? Who are these “certain groups”? What are the characteristics of mainstream media? What is its relationship with these “certain groups”? What is the role and significance of mainstream media to certain groups? The information gap theory of mass communication explains that those in better socio-economic conditions are more skillful with communication and information process. They obtain more background knowledge to receive new information and they are more accessible to debates of public affairs than those in weaker socio-economic conditions. More importantly, the nature of mass media is constructed for the use of those in higher socio-economic status. Many issues of public affairs and news on science and technology appear on print media that is often catered according to the taste of people in higher socio-economic status. Such media is designed for their interest3. Therefore mass media can widen the information gap between those in better socio-economic conditions and those in poor socio-economic conditions. Therefore “certain groups” are often referred to those in weaker socio-economic conditions divided by the mass media.

As a matter of fact, when we use the concept of alternative media, very often, we use it in reference to mainstream media, namely, alternative media exists only relative to mainstream media. In Michael Albert’s paper “Alternative Media: What Makes Alternative Media Alternative?”, he writes: A mainstream 1UNESCO，World Communication Report，1989, translated into Chinese by Foreign News Research Group, News Research Institute, Xinhua News Agency, China Overseas Chinese Publishing House, 1992, P. 3932 UNESCO，World Communication Report，1989, translated into Chinese by Foreign News Research Group, News Research Institute, Xinhua News Agency, China Overseas Chinese Publishing House, 1992, P. 394.3 Werner J. Severn, James W. Tankard, Jr. Communication Theories: Origins, Methods and Uses in the Mass Media, 1997, 4th ed in Chinese, translated by Guo Zhenzhi, 2000, Huaxia Publishing House, P.276.

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media institution (public or private) most often aims to maximize profit or sells an elite audience to advertisers for its main source of revenue. It is virtually always structured in accord with and to help reinforce society’s defining hierarchical social relationships, and is generally controlled by and controlling of other major social institutions, particularly corporations. In contrast, an alternative media institution (to the extent possible given its circumstances) doesn’t try to maximize profits, doesn’t primarily sell audience to advertisers for revenues (and so seeks broad and non-elite audience), is structured to subvert society’s defining hierarchical social relationships, and is structurally profoundly different from and as independent of other major social institutions, particularly corporations, as it can be. An alternative media institution sees itself as part of a project to establish new ways of organizing media and social activity and it is committed to furthering these as a whole, and not just its own preservation.4

The basic model of mass communication is: disseminator – information – media – audience – effect5. Some researchers have already questioned the intention of communication (assuming that communication is a process of convincing) and the over simplicity of this model6, however it is still considered as a convenient and comprehensive method to guide the research of communication process7. Moreover, it is appropriate to compare the difference of mainstream media and alternative media in framework of communication model. This paper applies this model to construct and organize the discussion of mass communication, thus to understand the specific features of alternative and mainstream media. See the comparison in Table 1.

Table 1, Difference between Alternative Media and Mainstream MediaFive Elements of Communication

Alternative Media Mainstream Media

Disseminator

（Manager）NGO or social activists Corporations, syndicates,

government agencies and others

Information

（content）Catered to the needs of non-mainstream social groups, demanding for political, economic and cultural rights of marginalized groups; emphasis on dialogue and

Catered to the needs and taste of mainstream social groups (advantaged social groups or elites), treating the audience as objects or objectives of media

4 Michael Albert, What Makes alternative Media Alternative? http://www.zmag.org/whatmakesalti.htm, http://www.zmag.org/altmediawatch.htm, October,16,2002.5 Dennis McQuail and Sven Windahl, Communication Models for the Study of Mass Communication, in Chinese, translated by Zhu Jianhua and Wu Wei, 1987, Shanghai Translation Publishing House, P. 176 Dennis McQuail and Sven Windahl, Communication Models for the Study of Mass Communication, in Chinese, translated by Zhu Jianhua and Wu Wei, 1987, Shanghai Translation Publishing House, P. 187 Dennis McQuail and Sven Windahl, Communication Models for the Study of Mass Communication, in Chinese, translated by Zhu Jianhua and Wu Wei, 1987, Shanghai Translation Publishing House, P. 18

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debate, more interactive and participatory

Channel

（ means of

communication

）

Low-tech, community media, media targeting a certain group or groups

High-tech, global media or mass media

Audience People with low socio-economic status, marginalized groups or minority groups

Trying to reach all people, but in reality limited by its channel or content, it tends to reach more socially advantaged groups or elites

Effect/impact Commercial profit is not important, promotion of social equity through empowerment and capacity building of vulnerable social groups

Maximization of communication effect and commercial profit

The comparison above is generated based on dozens of alternative media examples included in “World Communication Report” (1989)8 and examples drawn from some NGOs’ websites in China. There may be reasons to believe that there is controversy about such generalization, because we can find that the overlap between alternative and mainstream media, particularly under the Chinese context in which both their difference and complementation are being increasingly observed. At the same time, in China, it is observed that the government-controlled official media and commercial media adopted different attitude towards working with alternative media.

Based on the above analysis, we may point out some indexes that indicate the differences between alternative media and mainstream media:

Who are the initiators or managers of alternative media?What is the content feature of alternative media?What is the channel of alternative media? Who are the participants and audience of alternative media?What is the objective of alternative media?

In this paper, the alternative media is defined as “media system, which is advocated and managed by social activists or NGOs for exchange of information concerning marginalized or vulnerable groups with objective to

8 UNESCO，World Communication Report，1989, translated into Chinese by Foreign News Research Group, News Research Institute, Xinhua News Agency, China Overseas Chinese Publishing House, 1992, P. 393-460

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empower marginalized groups and to encourage their participation in the media.”

In this definition, communication channel of alternative media is defined in a highly generalized term as “media system”. It includes traditional media, mass media, new media technology and all media forms for informal information exchange. As mentioned in Table 1, during the 80’s and 90’s, most of alternative media applied low-cost technology, making it more accessible for marginalized groups. In the 90’s, a large number of NGOs and activists adopted computer and Internet technology or other forms of new media technology to set up or develop alternative media. But new media technology has its own problems. Chris Atton questioned the continuous existence of alternative media in the traditional sense after CMC (computer-mediated communication) era9. For example, the information disseminated by the highly participatory CMC users no longer has the content feature of traditional alternative media. When every person can become a publisher in theory, how can we distinguish traditional alternative media from CMC version alternative media? Chris Atton says “Perhaps the only significant constant in print and CMC versions of alternative media is content, particularly the origins of that content. For new social movements that content comes from lived experience. In order to sustain a notion of alternative in cyberspace we must let the real

world break in on the virtual one。” Therefore his research did not define

alternative media as “small audience media” but draws the definition by “communication system”.

In some instances alternative media may “supplement” mainstream media, which is to say that it represents the interest and voice of marginalized groups which are acknowledged and identified but ignored by the mainstream media. In other instances or more often, it challenges the perspective, news value and social value of mainstream media. It also aims at the empowerment of marginalized groups. In such instances, the role of alternative media is not just simply to “supplement” but rather “substitute” the mainstream media. Here “substitute” does not means “replace”. It is used relative to “supplement” to mean to represent the voice that the mainstream media fails to represent. So it co-exists with mainstream media or mass media. Chris Atton summarized the theory and methodology of alternative media in which he also analyzed the difference of alternative culture and oppositional culture and concludes that alternative culture and mainstream culture co-exist with each other and oppositional culture intends to replace the mainstream culture10.

9 Chris Atton. (2000) Are there alternative media after CMC? M/C Reviews 12 Apr. 2002. http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/politics/altmedia.html 28 December 2002.10 Chris Atton. (2001) Approaching alternative media: theory and Methodology. 24 May 2001. http://faculty.menlo.edu/~jhiggins/ourmedia/ica2001/chris%20attontx.pdf. 28 December 2002.

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Media is a tool of power. In his book “Agent of Power” (1984) J.Herbert Altschull points out that there is no such a thing as completely independent newspaper. In all social systems, mass media is agent of those who have economic, political and social power11. In UNDP “1995 World Situation of Women: Trends and Statistics”, “women in media” is not an issue of employment or education or training, but an issue of “power and influence” with same significance of women’s political participation12. From this point of view the primary role of alternative media is to empower the vulnerable groups and to promote equitable sharing of information in order to create a cultural and social environment that fosters social equality and sustainable human development.

II. Background of Stop Domestic Violence Website

1. International Women’s Movement and Alternative Media

The development of international women’s movement in 70’s and “International Year of Women (1975)” and “UN 10 Years of Women (1976-1985)” had joined impacts and led to women’s actions taken in areas of mass media. These actions included 1) monitoring women’s image in mass media to promote reflection of women’s real image in the media; 2) demanding mass media to employ more women and to increase the number of women in senior leadership positions; 3) creating alternative media; 4) to establish women’s news websites and news agency; 5) to encourage research on women and media, research not only concerning women’s image and women’s participation in mass media, but also research on influential media policies, structure and new media technology13. The Forward-Looking Strategy (FLS) issued at the “Assessment Meeting of UN 10 Years of Women” (Nairobi, 1985) regarded increase of women’s participation in mass media at all levels, eradication of gender stereotype and prejudice as well as increase of women’s access to information as priority issues. The Strategy also emphasized the importance of new forms of media and called on national governments and other agencies for more budget allocation to support these plans (para.206). In 1995, “The Platform of Action” was adopted by the 4 th

World Conference on Women. “Women and Media” was listed as one of the 12 priority areas of concern. Its strategic objectives had it that “to increase the participation and access of women to expression and decision-making in and through the media and new technologies of communication. (para.238), the Platform of Action, calls for national governments to “encourage and recognize women’s media networks, including electronic networks and other

11 Werner J. Severn, James W. Tankard, Jr. Communication Theories: Origins, Methods and Uses in the Mass Media, 1997, 4th ed in Chinese, translated by Guo Zhenzhi, 2000, Huaxia Publishing House, P.34512 UNDP: 1995 World Situation of Women – Trends and Statistics, New York, 1995, P.17213 UNESCO，World Communication Report，1989, translated into Chinese by Foreign News Research Group, News Research Institute, Xinhua News Agency, China Overseas Chinese Publishing House, 1992, P. 418

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new technologies of communication, as a means for the dissemination of information and the exchange of views, including at the international level, and support women’s groups active in all media work and systems of communications to that end” (para. 239, f).

In 80’s and 90’s, women’s alternative media mainly included newspapers, periodical magazines, video/audio tapes, books and publishing houses. It first appeared in North America and Europe and later spread to other parts of the world including Latin America and Asia14. After 1995, due to rapid development of new communication technology such as computer and Internet throughout the world, application of Internet as the primary channel of communication for promotion of gender equality and social development issues came on agenda. The 80’s saw the production of alternative media women’s magazine such as “Emma” in Germany and “Ms” in the USA, audio/video material like “Strong Image” produced by Isis International; women’s radios in Europe and North America, Women’s Feature News Agency funded by UNIFEM in 1978, Women’s information and media center such as Isis International, International Women’s Forum Center and a number of gender related women’s information network and data base. The mainstream women’s media quite often has content such as fashion, cosmetics, home decoration, children’s education, cooking and home nursing, targeting middle class audience while alternative women’s media tends to concentrate on more controversial issues related to women’s rights such as reproductive health, gender and racial discrimination, work rights of women, history of women’s movement, sexual violence, women in development and women and peace. They also provide information on women’s actions, plans and networking. These efforts contributed to women’s equal access to information.

After 1995, women’s NGOs or activists started to apply new communication technologies. In 2000, Isis International-Manila carried out a media evaluation on behalf of women’s NGO “Women in Action”15. It listed a number of best practice which included Asia Women Resources Exchange Center, on-line

information services; FIRE（Feminist International Radio Endeavor）, an on-

line women’s radio; CLADEM (Latin American Commission on Women and Rights), an email campaign for promotion of women’s human rights; as well as Toplink Office, a database of women leaders in Holland since 1995.

The interactive technology has been also utilized into the movement of ending

14 UNESCO，World Communication Report，1989, translated into Chinese by Foreign News Research Group, News Research Institute, Xinhua News Agency, China Overseas Chinese Publishing House, 1992, P. 426-435

15 Isis International-Manila：Alternative Assessment of Women and Media based on NGO Reviews of Section J, Beijing Platform for Action，2000，http://www.womenaction.org/csm.html.

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domestic violence by women activists or NGOs. Examples can be found in anti-domestic violence homepages in US, such as http://www.now.org/issue/violence set up by NOW (National Organization for Women), anti-violence homepage http://www.aidv-usa.com set up by American Institute on Domestic Violence as well as Cybergirl Safety Net, http://www.cybergrrl.com/views/dv. In addition to provision of information on domestic violence, these websites also provide training, telephone and email counseling, domestic violence examination, experience sharing and internet links with other interactive services.

2. Chinese Women NGOs and Alternative MediaIn China, alternative media did not experience the same development period of International Women’s Movement in 70’s and 80’s. Since 1995, Chinese women NGOs or women activists became more and more active in spreading their own voice via the mass media. Women’s publications related to gender equality also began to emerge. These included publications initiated by individuals or women NGOs, such as “Who is the Conqueror and Who is the

Concubine”16 by Women’s Media Monitoring Network、 Danchun Women’s

Culture Series “Chinese Women’s Culture”17, as well as TV Series produced by women’s organizations or individuals18. These publications or works can be considered as a part of the alternative media in China. Since 1995, the rapid growing women’s NGOs paid a lot of attention to the setup of their own alternative media including both print media such as newsletters and publications. Among the more influential NGOs are Centre for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services, Peking University; Maple Women’s Psychological Counseling Center. They all published books concerning domestic

violence19。At the beginning of 2000 women’s NGOs in Beijing started to build

their own websites. These included Chinese Women Legal Aid

website （ www.woman-legalaid.org.cn ） run by Centre for Women’s Law

Studies and Legal Services, Peking University, Gender and Development website (www.chinagad.org) established by National Gender and

Development Network ； China Gender Media Watch

website（http://www.genderwatchina.org） run by Women’s Media Monitoring

16 “Who is the Conqueror and Who is the Concubine” , compiled by Guo Yanqiu, Feng Yuan, China Women Publishing House, 200117 “Chinese Women’s Culture” , compiled by Huang Lin，China Wenlian Publishing House, 2001.18 “Gender Bias taken for Granted” , a TV program produced China Women’s College19 “Legal Aid for Women” by Centre for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services, Peking University, Chinese Workers Publishing House; “Wife Battering – Violence within the Walls” by Maple Women’s Psychological Counseling Center, Zhongyuan Farmer’s Publishing House, 1998

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Network；Rural Women’s website http://www.country-woman.net run by the

Practical Skills Training Centre for Rural Women, etc. It is worth mentioning that in China, as compared to a radio or a newspaper, it is much cheaper and more effective to build a website that spread information regarding women’s rights and development. 3.Chinese Women NGOs and Mass MediaSince the 90’s NGOs in China gave much attention to the role of mass media. Generally speaking, media means more than itself. It represents government’s recognition of NGO’s work. The “authorization function”20 of media has a special effect in supporting small and weak NGOs and promote them have more social influence. In fact, friendly relationship building between NGOs and mass media has already begun. The “China NPO Forum” successfully organized a “Dialogue between Mass Media and NGO/NPO” on March 22, 2003. The purpose of this forum was to encourage both parties to explore the news reporting issue about NGOs21. Another significant event was that Anti-domestic Violence Network contained a media network. Established on foundation of “Women Media Monitoring Network”, over 30 individuals from 26 mass media groups participated in the network. “Women Media Monitoring Network” was established in 1996 with a mission to promote gender equality through monitoring and bringing change to gender-biased reporting. As a part of Domestic Violence project, Media Network played two important roles. One, participate and report NGO activities against domestic violence and raise public awareness of domestic violence through mass media coverage; Two: Mainstreaming gender in anti-domestic violence through gender awareness training and also raise awareness of media workers and the general public on gender-based violence. They are both media practitioners and members of Media Network. This dual roles not only help reporting of domestic violence issues, they also strengthen the liaison and communication between mass media and anti-domestic violence network.

In general, international women’s moment, the development of Chinese women’s NGOs and the practice of alternative media in China jointly constructed the social background of the development of Stop Domestic Violence Website. Women NGOs construction relationship with mainstream mass media laid a good foundation for the positive interaction between alternative media and mass media.

20 Werner J. Severn, James W. Tankard, Jr. Communication Theories: Origins, Methods and Uses in the Mass Media, 1997, 4th ed in Chinese, translated by Guo Zhenzhi, 2000, Huaxia Publishing House, P.34721 NPO Forum: Dialogue and Interaction between Mass Media and NPOs – Forum Summary 3, March 22, 2002〈http://www.npo.com.cn/qt/lt_nr.asp?id=13〉December 29, 2002

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III. The History of Stop Domestic Violence Website

In the background mentioned above, in 2000 the Project “Domestic Violence in China: Research, Intervention and Prevention” (Stop Domestic Violence Project in short) initiated by the China Law Society, was considering setting up a website in the 2nd or 3rd year of the project. This was the Stop Domestic Violence Website. According to the project plan, the website is one of 15 sub-projects of the main project. At the beginning of the project, those involved also set up a NGO named “China Law Society Stop Domestic Violence Network”, so the website is also meant to be the site of this NGO. The objective of the website was “to provide a platform of information exchange concerning domestic violence inside and outside of the network”. In March 2001, the non-profit Stop Domestic Violence website was under preparation. In October the website was constructed. In November 2001, the website was in operation on trial basis which also coincided with a national conference on domestic violence organized by the Project. Within one month of trial operation, the website received 2,300 visits. Two major revisions were carried out in 2002 and one database function was added to the website. By December in 2002, the website already received 25,600 visits. Due to frequent page design revisions, the website update is aperiodic.

At the beginning of the website construction, the project did not have a clear vision of the role of the website. “Information Platform” was a very general term. However with the deepening of the work, the staff formed a more and more understanding of the function of this website. We came to the realization that Stop Domestic Violence website is not only a platform of information exchange. It should also be a form of alternative media run by a women’s NGO which intended to empower women. As an alternative media, the website “substitute” the mainstream media in the following ways:

1). Provide systematic information on gender-based domestic violence at home and abroad; In general mass media, such information is very scattered and also processed according to the agenda and routine of mass media. Whereas this website considers its role to provide systematic information about domestic violence, thus becoming a resource center of this subject.

2). Provide in an intensive and systematic manner the interpretation of domestic violence based on feminist and gender theories. The reporting of domestic violence issues by the mass media very often does not have a gender perspective, neither based on feminist interpretations. According to a research done by Guo Yanqiu and Cai Yiping which covered newspapers reporting of domestic violence between 1991-98, there were several problems found in the reporting: a) denying domestic violence is a common problem and not able to report the issue in a fair and objective way; b) exaggerating or

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dramatizing domestic violence stories; c) Blaming women victims as not self-support and independent22. These problems are very likely to regard domestic violence as a private matter. It is seen as “domestic issue” or “private issue” rather than depicting domestic violence as a public issue and gender based, therefore the issue rarely appears on the front pages of the newspapers. On the other hand, the silence of mass media about domestic violence is a process of privatization of the issue because the agenda-setting function23of the media is set in the way that people tend to believe this is not a public issue that demand the concern and resolution of the problem. However if it is reported by the newspaper, it is depicted as an extreme situation of utter brutality, implying that it is a extremely uncommon situation which happens only to some individuals or women victims should be blamed or responsible for consequence of domestic violence. This kind of practice makes it hard for domestic violence to enter the public agenda. It also reinforces the belief of domestic violence as a private matter, therefore misleading the public. The Stop Domestic Violence Website provides the public with a different perspective of domestic violence by offering interpretations of the issue based on feminist and gender theories.

3). Establish and distribute independent voice by the Stop Domestic Violence Network. The Network is a unique resource including research projects, up-to-date intervention methodology and multi-disciplinary approach. Therefore the Network is in a position to provide first-hand and independent source of information to influence the media and the society. Independent source of information may or may not be accepted and publicized by the mass media.

4). Through interaction with the users, the website formed a national network of domestic violence. The network is not organizational, it is also an intellectual and ideological network. This makes it possible to build a consensus about stop domestic violence in the country.

Another important issue of website is the cooperation with mass media. In summary of the points mentioned above, Chinese NGOs in general maintained a good relationship with the media. More importantly, up to date, only 1%24 of the population has access to Internet. Therefore from its very beginning, this website focused on mass media as one of its important target group. It is very necessary for us to provide intensive and interactive resources about domestic violence through this website, to encourage the media to make use of the information online so that the publics have to

22 Guo Yanqiu, Cai Yiping, “Eradication of Domestic Violence – How the News Media can be Alert of the Issue” included in “Who is the Conqueror and Who is the Concubine”, China Women’s Publishing House, 2000, P169-17123 Everett M. Rogers & James W. Dearing, Studies on the agenda-setting, edited by Robert M. Ogles, Mass Communication: An Effects Approach, in Chinese, translated by Guan Shijie, etc. Chinese Social Sciences Publishing House, 2000, P. 6724 Cinnic: http://www.cinnic.com.cn,2002.7.

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change and to understand domestic violence issues from gender perspective and to start to introduce intervention about it, thus we have to think constructively about how to interact with the mainstream media. In fact, so far, the website’s social impacts have been reached mostly via the media. As an alternative media, the website does not regard hit number as its most important target. It concerns more about how its independent source of information be effectively disseminated to the society at large through the media and how its information can better serve its target audience groups.

IV. Interaction with Mass Media

1.The Independence of the WebsiteCompared with mass media, the alternative media or the non-official website are naturally disadvantaged, which makes the independence of the website an important issue. The impact of mass media upon Chinese society can be easily felt as most of the mass media outlets are controlled by the government. Though Chinese people are already very skeptical and criticize often against the inaccuracy caused by bureaucracy, corruption and commercialism, most of them still have their faith in mass media. Even among the web users, mass media is a more favored information source. According to the survey on the Internet Users in Five Chinese Cities from 2000 to 2001, conducted by the Social Development Center of Chinese Academy of Social Science, the percentage for interviewees who “very trust” and “trust” domestic TV news amounts to 77.3%; for newspaper report, this percentage is 76.4%; for radio news, the percentage is 74.3%; for web news, the percentage is only 47.2%.25 Moreover, mass media has accumulated powerful resources. Till 2001, there had been 301 radio station, (not including those in sub county units), covering 92.92% of total population; 357 TV stations (not including those in sub-county units), covering 94.18% of total population26; 2111 kinds of newspaper, 8889 kinds of magazine27.

Therefore, without extra exertion, the cooperation with mass media is most likely to be passively accepting the existent mechanism or following the concepts and operation of mass media. The website has to provide “interesting” materials to mass media to attract them into reporting domestic violence. In this way, the website would loses its own voice. Instead, it should be independent from and equal to mass media, creating original information resources and having its own set of agenda. The website can only achieve cooperation with mass media on this basis, to share information and to

2525 Guo Liang, Bu Wei, Report on the Usage of Internet and Its Impact in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Changsha in 2000. Social Development Center, Chinese Academy of Social Science. April, 2001. To be published. 2626 China Yearbook of Broadcasting and Television. Compiled by National Broadcasting, Television and Movie Bureau, 2002. PP508-509. The statistics do not include TV stations and radio stations below county. 2727 Statistics of Chinese Press, compiled by General Administration of News Press. China Labor and Social Security P. 2002. pp4-5.

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advocate against domestic violence. Only in this way, the NGO’s voice could be magnified instead of distorted due to misunderstanding or some commercial factors.

2.Creating original information resourcesThis study refers to original information as the information created by the website itself, which serves as the resources for interaction with mass media. In the website against domestic violence, there are two major parts of information: one is the editing and utilization of the old information, mainly existing in columns like News Review, Guideline for Documents and Links on website. The main purpose of these columns is to provide service; the other part is the original information resources by the website, including Newsletters, Project Resource, Online Training and Net Express.

1). Newsletters and Project ResourcesThe main content of Newsletters and Project Resources are the pioneer theories and practice against domestic violence. The Newsletter is a Bi-monthly magazine issued by the project of Strategy Research and Intervention against Women-Targeted Domestic Violence, including News, Work Exchange, Theoretic Thoughts, Legal Study, International Exchange, Suggestions and Feedbacks. The Project Resources gathered the research products and experience from the 15 sub-projects, including Information Center, Training in Social Gender, On-spot Investigation in Domestic Violence, Judicial Intervention, Case Study from the Hotline, Media Intervention, Record of Survivors, Training material, Legal Support for Survivors, Community Intervention in Urban Areas, Community Intervention in Rural Areas, Medical Intervention, Local Conference, International Conference. Each sub-project provides valuable information on domestic violence, from the field research or first hand experiences of the activists fighting against domestic violence.

2). Training against Domestic ViolenceThe training is an original resource created by the website itself, providing some basic views on domestic violence. By means of Q&A, it gives the visitors on-line training. The main content includes: A.) Understand domestic violence (what is domestic violence; about the misunderstandings of domestic violence; who are the victims; who are the beaters; are you in a domestic violence situation; how domestic violence happen; the prevalence of domestic violence in our society; cases of domestic violence in news reports; guidelines for reporting domestic violence). B.) Seeking help (if you want to stop domestic violence, what preparations you have to make; if you are suffering from domestic violence, how can you protect yourself; if you want to leave the perpetrator or you have already left the perpetrator; Chinese laws and legal regulations on domestic violence; doctors and domestic violence; judicial evaluation; policemen and domestic violence; consulting hotlines). C.)

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Understand more (documents on domestic violence; recommendations of the research results on domestic violence; the Anti-Domestic-Violence Day by United Nation; male population’s involvement in fighting against domestic violence; the activities and programs against domestic violence in China). D.) Shared Experience on fighting domestic violence among survivors.

When the website was started, on-line training was not included. However, during the operation, such needs become obvious. One major target population is mass media journalists. After discussions with the journalists, the website decided to be more interactive. Technically, the website set up a database and visitors can search by key words; in terms of contents, the website provides the on-line training to media journalists and the public as well as linking to the other on-line resources. Based on experience, the journalists usually would log on Internet searching for relevant information before reporting on domestic violence. Therefore, www.stopdv.org.cn will naturally attract their attention. Such on-line trainings could help the journalists to report on domestic violence issue from the gender perspective. When the journalists are preparing for the report with the clues provided by the website, we also suggest them to glance over the on-line training, which meets the goal of promoting social awareness too.

3). Net ExpressLike on-line training, the Net Express is also original to the website. Its content is to keep updating web news and other important information. The “Net Express” is considered the “most strategically positioned” resources by the website, being the only information that could be seen directly on the homepage. It helps users of different social groups to make better use of the website resources. These users include:

A.) Mass mediaMass media is an important user for “Net Express”. When the journalists get any clue from the news from Net Express, they will start reporting and investigation. Sometimes, newspapers and other media outlets would publish the articles from Net Express. The website has always supported this kind of exposure.

B.) Network of fighting against domestic violenceAs a sub-project of the Fighting Against Domestic Violence Project, the website should reflect updated information against domestic violence. The staff have been closely involved in some important events held by the network such as the International Human Rights Day, domestic conference against women-targeted domestic violence, conferences discussing the localization of anti domestic violence theories as well as project evaluation conference. Among these events, the photos of women from Yan Qing county acting in

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anti-domestic violence shows were published in the report for the International Human Rights’ Day of 2001. The report on Chinese conference were linked to all the important information such as abstracts of papers, proposals, public spokesmen of fighting domestic violence; the report on project appraisal seminar gave detailed account of one of the main speakers, Du Jie’s speech, which described how to evaluate the project with gender perspective. For anyone who is interested in the information, they could download the material or read on line. The reports also cover visits, relevant seminars that the project members or website staff participated. For example, the representatives of the website attended the IV NGO Forum: the Dialogue between NGO and mass media. The project members visited Denmark, Norway and some other countries to investigate how policemen intervene with domestic violence. The project members also attended the NGO forum of 2002 Asia-Europe Summit Meeting. The reports on the IV NPO Forum cover not only the forum itself but provide the linkage to the speech on fighting domestic violence, introduction of the development of NPO forum as well as a summary of the other important forums. The focus of the report was on “keeping NGO’s subjectivity in the cooperation with mass media”, and can be seen as the independent voice of the website. On one hand, the Net Express facilitated the information exchange between the network and the other outlets; on the other hand, it also provides clues and materials for mass media. For example, the article of “Summary of the Conference on the Localization of Fighting Domestic Violence Theories” was published by China Women News (19th, Feb, 2002).

3.) Survivors of domestic violenceSome survivors of domestic violence send letters to the website, exampled by the following:

“Dear web-master, I am the sister of a survivor of domestic violence. Ever since my sister got married, she had been beaten many many times. Today her eyes were swollen with blood in them. I forget from when, her husband started to beat her to death, for example, banging her head against the wall, or using hard things like wooden stool. Fortunately, my sister is of optimistic temperament. But many years’ torture has changed her quite a lot. This time, she finally made up her mind to get a divorce. But I am wondering if his behavior is one form of domestic violence. Is it true that small wounds wouldn’t be considered domestic violence? And what price should he pay?”

Another letter goes like this, “I’ve been married four years and my husband beat me twice. But the recent one was quite hard. My ear membrane was broken because of that. Can I accuse him of domestic violence? I am anxiously waiting for your reply!!!”

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A woman whose husband works in a court was beaten and maltreated at home. She cried for help too; however, “all the colleagues or supervisors are so fed up with this and they don’t want to have anything to do with it anymore. I went to All Women Federation and other agencies with little effect. Many blamed me instead. What’s more, his behavior doesn’t affect his career at all. And he was not afraid of my suing him at all.” This woman has no other way and asks for help at the website.

Another survivor was constantly beaten after she gave birth to her child. The perpetuator said that “it’s reasonable to beat me, and, when one gets mad, one behaves like that…I filed a divorce to the court. He admitted to have beaten me for the child. But he wouldn’t agree to have committed domestic violence. I asked the judge how to define such phrase as “unless major wrongs (including domestic violence)”. The judge stumbled and said that he forgot! Finally, because he served the army and refused to divorce, and my evidence was not enough (the medical record of my wounded soft tissues and photos that show my waist bones and tail bones), I was denied the divorce for I still looked complete.”

From these cases we could conclude that, first, the survivors need to know the definition of “domestic violence”; second, they need the help from society, which means, what are the capable agencies. The survivors have the right to demand such information. The local governmental agencies shouldn’t treat them this way and domestic violence should not go by unpunished. Thirdly, the survivors need to be informed about the legal information concerning the due punishment the perpetrator deserves. Fourth, the survivors need to know how to overcome the obstacles formed due to cultural or political reasons. For example, the perpetrator might apologize afterwards and repeat for many times; or they can still get promotions while the survivors are feeling contrite and ruminating painful memories. As a woman phrased it, “I don’t know what have I done to deserve this. I am a very loyal woman. I never went out and had no bad habits. I had a good job and I am quite good looking.” The website helps the women survivors to know what they need and master their own fate. In this way, the women get empowered. On the other hand, the Net Express communicates the needs of survivors and analyzes such needs, which will help create a more social support environment against domestic violence.

4.) The publics who shows concernsAfter the website was launched, we also received some letters from volunteers, financiers and other people who show their concern over domestic violence. We notice that the website can mobilize the whole society. As an alternative media, the website aims to be the center of resource integration and social intervention apart from carrying the information.

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The following diagram shows the structure of Net Express

The public Net Express Media

Survivors

Network

The basic process is as follows: the survivors and other people will respond to the website after they log on and become the source of Net Express. The network itself can be the source of Net Express too. On one hand, the Net Express will reach the public through mass media. On the other hand, the network itself will give certain response to the people suffering from domestic violence or people who are concerned of it.3. Interaction Mode with Mass MediaThe website takes the following steps to form a benevolent interactive mode with mass media

1). Participate in the reporting and planning the domestic violence incidents from the gender perspective or human rights concerns. It requires that the website staff should be present when important events take place. 2). Create information that supports gender or women human rights and transfer the information on Net Express with no delay.3). Inform and encourage the journalists to use website information. Especially when the journalists get some clues from the website, their interviews should be supported to facilitate the information flow between media outlets. 4). Discuss the value of certain information with reporters and foster their sense of social responsibility to help broadcast NGO’s voice.

The report on the play Vagina Monologues could be seen as a typical example.

Vagina Monologues is created by the American NGO V-Day which aims at fighting woman-targeted violence. V bears rich meanings here. It symbolizes V-day; stands for Victory over violence; it is also the V in Valentine’s Day. Last and most importantly, it is women’s vagina. The monologues of V are the monologues of vagina. The actress narrates many female experiences and their feelings towards their vagina. In most cultures, vagina brings about anxiety, humiliation, contempt and disgust. To break this kind of emotional association, the actresses need to repeat the word out loud. Even in the seemingly open society of United States, this word wouldn’t bring people positive images. Vagina doesn’t worth our respect. Such views have a part to

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play in the women targeted violence. If the word is not pronounced, the sexual violence will remain unseen, unrecognized and become a secret, a sense of shame or a myth. By saying it, all the shame and fears will be broken. This play is a way to break the silence. Vagina’s Monologue is performed around the world for every Valentines’ day. On 2nd, March, 2002, it was first performed in Shanghai, China and one goal of the performance is to collect funds for the network fighting domestic violence.

Towards this event, the website was actively involved. Sexual violence is considered secret, private, and shameful. Through the effort of the play, the topic can enter public domain and become a discussion against sexual oppression. After watching the performance, the website staff interviewed the main actress Mattie. We kept asking her, “is this necessary to speak out loud the word vagina?” she was very affirmative, “you must. Because most women targeted violence is related to vagina. If we still avoid the word, how can we talk about sexual violence in public? Women should use such vocabulary to describe their experience and feelings openly, which will be the beginning to the solution of the issue. The aim of this play is to familiarize its audience with this word.” After returning to Beijing, the website staff wrote a commentary titled listening to Vagina’s Monologues and published it on line. The article introduced V-day, the content of the play, the performance, interviews to the actresses and the performances in other areas such as in Singapore.

After the actress narrates a rape, she holds up the cards in silence. On the cards, we can reads “the first rape is on the vagina”; “the second rape is when you are on court, it happens to the spirit”; “the third rape is by the media”; “if it were you, would you dare to go to police?”

Listening to Vagina’s Monologues also links to other background information.

After the article was published online, it produced considerable social response. The writer got some calls from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou wishing to publish the article on mass media outlets. However, because vagina appears in the article, many media outlets dare not to publish it in full context for fear of “pornography”. In this case, the alternative media’s advantage was obvious. Within several days, the number of visitors to the website increased dramatically. After consultation with the mass media, the website authorized them to publish the article with revisions. San Lian Life Weekly first interviewed the writer and reported on this on 6 th, April, 2002; China Women News published two thirds of the article on 10th September, 2002 as well as a commentary titled Be Ourselves. Then China Women and Public Health also published the excerpts of the article. Through mass media, the private topic successfully became a public one about women’s human rights.

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Another typical example is the reporting on the first domestic TV series reflecting domestic violence---Do Not Speak to Strangers

When the playwrights were still writing the scenarios, the website staff participated in the planning and introduced concepts on domestic violence, gender analysis, related law and social resources. When the play was to be shown, the website staff did an on-spot interview and wrote an article titled China’s first domestic violence TV series are to be shown. This article was published by China Women News on 5th, March, 2002, followed by Beijing Daily’s (on 25th March, 2002) and Beijing Evening’s reports. The website’s effort did not end here. Borrowing the popularity of the TV play, the website also got involved in selecting the public spokesmen for fighting domestic violence. One of the main actors Wang Xuebing from the TV play and another actor Wang Tong became the spokesman and spokeswoman for the project and the network. When 22 light box advertisement boards were erected in Beijing advocating against domestic violence, the website did another report, attracting the attention from mass media for another time. The series of reports from the website did greatly influenced people’s ideas on domestic violence.

On 20th August, 2002, Wu Han Morning News published an article titled Don’t Speak to Strangers was on in Wu Han; a college teacher beat his wife . The report quoted from the survivor “ my life is exactly like the TV play. If I speak with strange men, I will be beaten by my husband.”

On 10th May, 2002, the Beijing Youth published an articled titled Live Version of Don’t Speak to Strangers; Heartless Husband stabbed his wife 17 times. On 31st, July, another article titled Beating wife for 34 years, the real Don’t Speak to Strangers awaits his sentence. We could see that the words used in the articles as “live version, or real version” referring to the TV play.

The 30th March, 2002’s Jiang Xing Daily published an article titled Domestic Violence introduces black topic, which holds that the great impact the TV play has on society can be attributed to the domestic violence theme. It also shows that as a social issue, it has manifested itself.” The report also listed some cases they interviewed.

According to the reports from China Women News28, since the TV play was shown, Beijing Maple Hotline received many more phone calls concerning domestic violence. A woman said that before watching the TV play, she had no idea what domestic violence was and that she didn’t realize beating already was a form of domestic violence. Another woman told the consultant

2828 Why Maltreated Women Refuse to Leave Their Family? China Women News. 9th April, 2002.

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“have you seen the TV series? I am that leading role woman. I just bear everything.”

It can be seen that the publication and popularity of the TV series have launched the topic of domestic violence into public domain.

V. Case Conclusion

This article talks about the function of anti-domestic violence website within the framework of alternative media, as well as the relation between such media and mass media. From the analysis, we could see that: 1. As an alternative media, the website enjoys a co-existence with mass media or mainstream media. On one hand, the mass media needs alternative media for original information; on the other hand, the alternative media of NGO’s must magnify their voice through mass media. The interaction between the two will be mutually beneficial. What needs special mention is the long term cooperation between non-government women organizations and mass media, which greatly facilitated the interaction between both. 2. The original information created by alternative media such as “Web resources” “On-line Training” and “Net Express” give out rich information and many clues for mass media, making it possible for them to give more extensive and intensive reports. 3. The alternative media provide feminist perspective and analytical method in a systematic way. Despite some omissions by the mass media, such views are sure to influence mass media to some degree. Hence, they may also have an impact on public attitudes. It shows that Chinese NGO or women activists are not only users but also creators, actors and facilitators of the new technology. By running an alternative website, it can also spread its voice through the interaction with mass media.

Since the website has only been on trail for a short period of time, its interaction mode with mass media is also not mature enough. The future research should extend the scope and study the percentage of information used by mass media. The research should also include the nature of the relation between Chinese alternative media and mass media, so that we can find that how information technology effectively promote social gender equality in Chinese context.

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