Professor de Burgh started in academic life teaching History at Edinburgh University before working as an education correspondent and television producer for STV, BBC and Channel 4. In 2004, he joined the University of Westminster as a Professor of Journalism, where he set up the China Media Centre. His expertise ranges through international media and investigative journalism, China's culture industries and policy.
Thesis
His original focus was the social function of journalism as a reflection of culture. He has said "It is often said that journalism is the first rough draft of history; by contrast, investigative journalism provides the first rough draft of legislation..." More recently, in 2020 in China’s Media in the Emerging World Order, he argued that "the way the Chinese media work can be understood as a reflection of culture as much as of political economy." His 2003 book 'The Chinese Journalist: mediating information in the world's most populous country' exposed the cognitive dissonance of Chinese media workers unable to realise their own expectations of their work. It also demonstrated that, far from seeing themselves as Westernizing, media workers were looking to past Chinese experience for inspiration and drawing upon their perceptions of Chinese culture as well as upon the tools of expression provided by the internet. His publications include: China’s Media in the Emerging World Order ; ] China’s Media Go Global; China’s Media in the Emerging World Order ; The West You Really Don’t Know ; China’s Environment and China’s Environment Journalists; Western Correspondents in China: system and policy ; de Burgh, Hugo et al. New Opportunities for Climate Change and Environmental Reporting in China; Investigative Journalism ; The China Impact: China’s Rise and the future of the UK; Can the Prizes still Glitter? The future of British universities in a changing world; China: Friend or Foe?; China and Britain: the Potential Impact of China’s Development; Making Journalists: Diverse Models, Global Issues; The Chinese Journalist: Mediating information in the world’s most populous country
Chinese journalism
Of special interest is the reappearance of investigative journalism in China since 1992. He said this showed that the supposedly western techniques of investigative journalism apply in contrasting political cultures.
It was a surprise to Western observers to find that the Chinese media are, despite limitations upon them, influencing public life today by introducing new and unconventional ideas, changing terms of reference, forcing the pace of reform, giving voice to concerns and calling attention to issues.
