Media governance and truth in the post-truth era: challenges and implications for state-controlled media markets in China

The subject of this research is the problems of state control over media markets in the post-truth era, with an emphasis on how such control affects public perception and dissemination of information. The object of the study is based on the analysis of two case studies — the "Rat's Head or Duck's Neck" incident and the "Mathematical Genius Jiang Ping" incident. This study highlights the limitations imposed by government oversight on media diversity and pluralism in China. Applying the theory of media ownership, the theory of agenda formation, and the theory of the public sphere, the authors of the study show how state-controlled media limit the diversity of narratives, narrow the scope of public discourse, and shape public perception, ultimately influencing the reliability of information in the context of post-truth. The comprehensive approach in the study allows us to understand how the state controls information flows, the process of prioritization in the public consciousness and the formation of the public sphere in the context of post-truth in China. The research methodology is comprehensive, it includes: case study, data collection methods (statistical analysis and text analysis), application of theoretical foundations (theory of media ownership, theory of the public sphere, theory of agenda formation), comparative analysis. The novelty of this study is explained by the following factors: an integrated approach is applied, the research topic is relevant (a fresh look at the problem in the Chinese context), real-world case analysis, the insufficiency of the previous research base on this issue, the practical significance of the study (the conclusions of the study may be useful for politicians in China who seek to improve public confidence in the state media and make the system of state information and regulation more effective).

state, media, market, post-truth, public, discourse, information, dissemination, control, narrative