"Demonization": Media Stereotypes Of Migrant Workers Group

In recent years, as the problem of migrant workers increasingly highlighted, various discrimination and exclusion that as a special status, migrant workers were suffered in all areas of society, especially the negative reports of migrant workers made by the newspaper, television, the Internet and other mass media, place them in a more disadvantageous condition. "Demonization" of migrant workers as a social phenomenon is being widely concerned by people. Based on the investigation on several major domestic newspapers reports about migrant workers, the paper try to answer the following questions: 1. the existence of "demonization" of migrant workers 2, if "demonization" of migrant workers exists, what is the specific image? 3, what is the essence of the "demonized" phenomenon? What is the significance?Based on discussion about social status, social structure and media stereotype, and the social and historical background of contemporary China, the paper depth analyze the deep meaning that the "demonization" of migrant workers by media contains as a symbolic form or cultural phenomenon, as well as the asymmetrical power relations, social structure and practice of system which it built on. And then we reveal how the "demonized" services establishing and maintaining the existing social structure and unequal power relations. Hope this will raise people's awareness of the "demonizing" phenomenon, and establish a more just and equitable approach to treat migrant workers, and reduce the occurrence of social contradictions and conflicts, as well as promote social harmony and stability.As the previous study on the reappearance of the media, this study used the methods of content analysis and text analysis. Content analysis is a method that analyzes media content by the numbers. It can objectively and roundly makes a clear quantitative description of the contents or identify the tendency and features of contents. While text analysis is a thorough inspection on the text of the media, it can base on the various backgrounds and factors involved in the process in which the media text is produced, transmitted and received to interpret and explain the deep significance implied in the language and text of media. So, using these two methods—Quantitative and Qualitative research, we can avoid the flaws and shortcomings which arises in study of only using one of them. Different from previous interrelated research, this study abandons the analysis on the producing mechanism of the media symbolic forms and its producing, transmitting and receiving process from the perspective of communication, instead, we use a sociological perspective, combining media symbolic form and the social and historical background in which it can be produced, transmitted and received, to interpret and explain the practical implication in media products, and reveal the complex linkages between media products and realistic social structure and power relations.In order to know and understand more clearly the mass media reappearance of images of migrant workers group, the author gives an objective and comprehensive picture of the reality of migrant workers group from six aspects—the definition and composition of the migrant workers, the works of the migrant workers, the lives of migrant workers, impact on the city of migrant workers, Regulation and supervision on migrant workers and the contributions of migrant workers. Then the author regards the event reports concerning migrant workers as the object which appear on the following three newspapers: "Guangzhou evening paper", "Beijing Daily" and "new culture paper", and investigates them with content analysis and text analysis.Research indicates that there are "demonized" stereotypes in media reports on migrant workers. In these reports, the word—"migrant workers" is often associated with some execrable, bad and the negative behavior and incident. Being vividly described the details, migrant workers has been largely specific stereotyped as offenders, ignorant, ill-dirty, fraud, brutal and vulgar, rude and brutal, urban order destroyer, greed and selfishness and "hostile force"opposed to modern urban civilization and posed great threat to the normal operation of urban society.By the text analysis of the reported cases, we find that ideology demands of the city mainstream group are hiding behind "demonized" stereotypes of migrant workers group by media. "Demonized" stereotypes, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the author is, in objective terms, have a hidden discourse violence, include significance that serves establishing and sustaining the asymmetrical power relations between the two status groups: migrant workers and citizens, and are the reflection of the realistic unequal social structure, the group conflicts and power relations in the culture and notion. In fact, the "demonized" stereotypes of migrant workers by media not only reflects the discourse hegemony that urban groups—including media practitioners, government officials, knowledge elites and most of the media audiences—impose to the migrant workers from rural areas to city, but also participates in or strengthen the citizens(mainstream groups) rule and control of a marginalized group—migrant workers. The phenomenon that Migrant workers are "demonized", as a special symbolic form and a part of the real world, plays a realistic role in the real world again. The meaning it expresses and conveys serves the unequal and regnant structure made of the current citizens group and farmers groups which oppose to each other, also supports and promotes such power production. In fact, the phenomenon that Migrant workers are "demonized" is not limited in the media field, The construct strategies to serve and support the asymmetry, dualistic and urban—rural structure has infiltrated the city lives and the discourse process especially day-to-day behaviors and the expressions of citizens. When people use and describe the concept of "migrant workers" in everyday life, apprehend such a special group with its own relations, the demands of those ideology of the mainstream group would be unknowingly presented and transmitted, and continuously participate in the social structure which is realistic but unequal, then product and maintain the unequal relations of power.Therefore, the building of a well-off society in an all-round today, we must uphold the scientific development concept, make overall planning for urban and rural development. Building a socialist harmonious society, we must get rid of the establishment and support of various factors such inequality and social structures. Base on the production of "demonizing" social causes and mechanisms of the phenomenon, this paper propose related policy recommendations to the government, society and the mass media.