Building a shared future between China and Africa: A framing analysis of China Radio International's podcast news China Africa Talk

Abstract

China has used broadcast for international communication in Africa since 1949, an important bridge connecting China and Africa. As digital audio media, podcasts also serve communication on Africa-related topics. News media work as the intermediaries between the public and the nation, and news framing is significant for the public to understand China-Africa relations. Regarding the limitations of traditional framing analysis, this study used a data-driven computational method, the Analysis of Topic Model Networks (ANTMN), to examine the news framing in China Radio Internationals (CRI’s) China Africa Talk. The findings revealed four frames in the podcast: cultural exchange, economic cooperation, sustainable development, and strategic cooperation, which indicates the efforts of China and Africa in building a community of shared future. Cultural exchange and sustainable development are two frames found in this study that highlight the differences in national propaganda content between podcasts and newspapers. Furthermore, podcasts in international communication, with digital media characteristics and young audiences, can promote the dialogue and communication between China and Africa.