Zheng Song

Prior to BU

I got my first master’s degree in Journalism Studies early in 2005, from the Communication University of China. Ever since then, I have been working in the field of media and communication. Most recently, I was director of the brand & public relations department at MS Consumer Finance, a Chinese internet technology company, between 2015 and 2018. Coming from a professional background as a former journalist and later a communication consultant, I have been always trying to link the theoretical explanations of communication to the modern media practices in different enterprises and organizations.

Why Emerging Media Studies

The widespread nature of social media is changing our methods of communicating with the rest of the world every day. Not only global players, like Facebook and Twitter, but smaller-scale organizations are reshaping the communication mechanism, including a few rising Chinese companies like Tencent, Alibaba and TikTok. These companies are playing important roles in establishing different applications of advanced media technologies. It is common to see influential individuals and independent media platforms generate more influence online. Does this mean everyone and anything can become a “medium” in the future, especially in the media environment like China? How far would the new media technology go, and what kind of new methods should be produced to achieve effective communication in the current and future media environment? These questions are interesting to me and I would to play a role in finding the right answers, which is the main reason I study Emerging Media studies at BU. Another important reason is that Boston University, especially the College of Communication, has the cutting-edge academic research abilities and abundant practical application experiences to help me achieve my goals. COM has always kept a close connection to the practical world.

Most Looking Forward To

I will be interested in the useful research methods applied in the communication field, such as experimental design, data analysis, data visualization, and some case studies. I also would like to know how scholars and professors develop their analysis on the popular communication phenomenon, then draw valuable conclusions that contribute to the practical world, what I consider to be the real force behind the development of the media industry.

After Graduation

I really wish to know more about American culture, as well as the background of how new media practices are taking place here. This will allow me to compare the similarities and differences in modes and methods of communication between China and the U.S. In the future, I hope to see myself working at a consulting company or a multinational company to help more organizations find ways to successfully promote their brands or products in a cross-cultural environment.