Radio broadcasting as a language policy mechanism: simultaneity, de-buffering, and the negotiation of language order in Republican China

This article examines how radio broadcasting functioned as a language policy mechanism in Republican China (1923–1937). Drawing on Spolsky’s (Citation2004, Citation2009, Citation2021) tripartite framework and Shohamy’s (Citation2006) concept of language policy mechanisms, the study analyzes government regulations, station programming records, and listener correspondence published across 150 issues of Broadcasting Weekly, 36 of which (24%) contained language-related letters. The analysis traces a three-phase development from fragmented early broadcasting practices, through state-led politicization and standardization, to the consolidation of a hierarchical broadcasting language order. The article develops two interrelated analytical concepts—simultaneity and de-buffering—to specify how broadcasting’s temporal and institutional organization could compress the distance between language-policy implementation, publicly enacted linguistic practice, and audience evaluation. Listener correspondence further shows that audience feedback formed part of this process, although its institutional effects varied across issues. Together, these findings conceptualize broadcasting as a distinctive language policy mechanism and provide a basis for comparison with established mechanisms such as education and print.