Portrayal of Foreign Cultures in Chinese TV Program: A Case Study of Informal Talks

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyses the depiction of foreign cultures in Informal Talks as an example of a Chinese television program. In this study, the research focuses on foreign cultural portraits and intercultural communication. Through textual analysis, television production techniques, topic selection directions, presenter questioning and stage design are used to integrate and present foreign cultures in television programs. The object of this study is informal Talks from season 1 to season 4. The study mainly adopts text analysis, which is divided into cultural aspects, data collection, and data analysis. Variables in this study include when to talk, what to say, Pacing and pausing, Art of listening, Intonation, what is conventional/not a language, Degree of indirectness, Cohesion and coherence, Individualism /collectivism, Power distance, Uncertainty avoidance, Masculinity, Long-term, Indulgence/restraint and process textual analysis. According to the content analysis, the researcher identifies answers to the research objectives, including identifying how foreign cultures are portrayed in Chinese television programs, and informal conversations, and determining how the choice of topics for informal conversations can be adapted to foreigners.