一个镇电视台的生存战争——新的制度安排是怎样产生的

Battle for Survival of a Town Television Station

本论文是2003年5月至2005年5月对中国北部地区一个乡镇电视台的研究。在这个乡镇电视台建设过程中,地方广电局和镇政府就管理权的归属发生了冲突。双方各自调动政治资源对对方形成压力,最终乡镇政府把电视台控制在自己手中,使中央政府行业管理的制度安排落空。本论文描述了乡镇政府和行政管理部门就管理权归属的几次主要冲突和冲突的解决。这个案例研究表明,中国电视管理体制中存在着多层次的利益冲突,电视管理体制中已经并仍在发生着分权的过程。中国电视制度的变迁并不如大多数学者所描述的那样。由中央政府主导和控制,而是不断被各级地方政府所"修正",地方政府还通过各种正式或非正式的制度和程序迫使中央政府在地方的代表对这种修正不作为,从而形成了与中央政府的规则不相符的地方性电视制度。本论文以中央政府实行财政和行政分权的制度转型为背景展开讨论。正是由于中央政府和地方政府的关系发生了深刻变化,地方政府才能够越过权力边界,就电视业规则和秩序与中央政府讨价还价。

This paper presents a study of a town television station in north China carried out in May 2003.In the case study area,a conflict occurred between the city Broadcasting and Television Bureau and the town government over who had the right to supervise the town television station.Both sides mobilized their political resources in the fight,but in the end the town government prevailed and con- trolled the administrative fights.Consequently,the institutional arrangement of the central government came to nothing.This paper explores the multiple conflicts of interest embedded in Chinese television sector as it moves towards a more decentralized system.While previous scholarship has maintained that the institutional transformation of Chinese broadcasting is guided by the central government,this paper's main argument is that,in fact,local governments at different levels have controlled such transformations and manipulated tensions in the market according to their own interests.Fundamental changes in the relationship between the central and local governments have led to the latter gaining more power in determining the outcomes of Broadcasting.