Analysis and evolution of information about China in two leading Spanish newspapers: El País and ABC. Study of stereotypes, prejudices and cultural contrasts

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to study the informative treatment of China and its citizens in two leading Spanish newspapers: El País and ABC. In order to carry out the research, the author has used content analysis and in-depth interviews. The results indicate a preference for economic issues. The most common stereotype consists of presenting China as "The Asian Giant". In general, attention to China has been increasing during the period analysed, with an increasing presence of negative stereotypes, particularly in the case of ABC. Most of the texts belong to the genre of journalistic report, so it can be seen that both media tend to provide interpretative coverage of this topic. The experts interviewed point out that there is a certain dependence on government sources and an excessive focus on economic aspects, so that there is room for improvement in the coverage in both media.