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The time frame in the sample designates five days before and ten days after each event. That is to say, it includes the latest preparations for and the treatment of the results obtained in the Games. These inclusions are necessary on two counts.
First, during the pre-Games period, a set of expectations of the Chinese athletes would most likely be formed and announced. These could be compared with the announcements of the results to detect the use of face strategies. Likewise, there may be some matches which would be held towards the end of the Games, the results and comments of these matches may come after the official close of the Games because of the time lag in newspaper reporting. There may also be overall comments and reports after all the medals have been counted. Thus time has to be allowed for these inclusions so that comparison of which could be made with prior expectations, specific or overall.
Second, usually the athletes would arrive at the venue a few days earlier and return to China soon after the Games. The way they have been treated, the way the media present them to the readers before and after the Games could also be regarded as pertinent to the events concerned. Thus, they should be included as far as possible in the sample.
The People's Daily is chosen because it can be regarded as the most important national paper. It is directly controlled by the party. Its total distribution averages 5 million copies per issue (or 1,825,000,000 totally) for the year in 1986, and has been the largest one for years in terms of distribution. The readers of the People's Daily are spread throughout China. The paper also publishes an overseas edition for subscribers outside China.
Most important of all, the People's Daily represents the view of the leading or the ruling forces. It is listed under the category of national press organisations (1986 Zhongguo Xinwen Nianjian 283). Structurally, the journalists are mostly cadres. In terms of substance, the reports and comments of this paper are quoted in other papers, and even other media. The paper contents may provide a general picture of how the press in general would report the same event.
It is also a general newspaper in which views of various fields can come into play. This may not be found in specialist papers which often approach affairs and issues from a specific perspective. Tryubao, for