Media Role Positioning Study In Public Crisis

As the development of economics and society, our country has entered into the period when public crisis events occur frequently, how to effectively tackle public crisis events is one of major challenges confronted by authorizes in various levels. What role do media play in public crisis event, which will affect its development and determine whether it will be resolved rapidly.By reading through 4R theory in public crisis management and media role in public crisis event management, taking 3 major emergencies (Nanning sewage pipeline site collapse accident, Youai flyover 6’13 accident and Qingzhu flyover 4’15 traffic accident) as empirical examples, this study rests upon 4R model in public crisis management, analyzing how media reduce, prepare, respond and restore them. Its research findings - media role missing reflect on:no report on time, misrepresentation and misleading, also it stated the reasons of media role missing from 4 perspectives (Crisis awareness, dissemination perception, communication mechanism and media standpoint).As to media role missing in public crisis event, this study proposed that the role of media should become "PR Spokesperson",Guardian for public’s right to know, Pioneer for public opinion guiding and overseer for misconduct.In order to accurately position the role of media, Press law legislation, comprehensive mechanism in public crisis media report, perfection of communication mechanism between governments and media,formulation of spokesperson regime and explicit statement of media standpoint have to be strengthened, this will effectively manage public crisis event.