Multicultural Broadcasting Policy of the Manchurian Telegraph and Telephone Company (MTTC)

Abstract

This study examines the rule mechanism of the Manchukuo by analyzing the radio broadcasting of the Manchurian Telegraph and Telephone Company. The Manchukuo is well-known as the puppet state of Japanese government in Manchurian between 1931 and 1945. However, the Manchukuo advocated "the harmony among five races" as its slogan and therefore could not help adopting policies that were multicultural when compared with those in Korea and Taiwan. In the early 20th century, radio broadcasting was recognized as one of the most meaningful and important media for integrating a nation people. The Manchurian Telegraph and Telephone Company (MTTC), which was founded in 1933, also expected that radio broadcasting would be powerful force. By expanding its network, its audience grew from about 6, 000 in 1933 to over 700, 000 in 1945. However, the character of the Manchukuo, a multi-raced state, demanded multi-lingual and multi-cultural broadcasting. As a result, the radio broadcasting of the Manchukuo functioned as segmentation media rather than integration media. This study further discusses the rule mechanism of the Manchukuo through the linkage of the media policy and the cultural policy.