How did Jiang Qing and the Gang of Four use media and propaganda during the Cultural Revolution?

During the Cultural Revolution, Jiang Qing and the Gang of Four exerted significant control over China’s mass media and propaganda outlets to consolidate power and enforce ideological conformity.1

Media Control and Propaganda

The group utilized their influence to dominate several key areas, including intellectual education, social science theories, and party policies regarding intellectuals. By maintaining strict oversight of media channels, they ensured that all public messaging appeared to adhere to the policies and wishes of Mao Zedong.1

Radicalizing the Arts

Jiang Qing played a central role in transforming the cultural landscape, beginning with her 1965 investigation into the play Hai Rui Dismissed from Office, which led to a published denunciation by Yao Wenyuan. This event signaled the start of the Cultural Revolution and established a precedent for radicalizing the arts.1

Starting in 1964, Jiang guided the creation of "model" revolutionary operas that featured soldiers and workers as heroes, while simultaneously enforcing a total ban on traditional operas and persecuting many traditional theatre artists. This cultural reform movement served as a vehicle for prolonged attacks on leading intellectuals and cultural figures, effectively using propaganda to purge those deemed ideologically incorrect.234