A Study On Local Governments' Strategies For Responding To Mass Events In The Era Of We Media

With China's economy and society undergoing transformation,the development of new relations of production lags behind that of the productivity,which brings about rising social systemic risks.The major features are as follows: vested interests worry about uncertainties or panic over losing something as the interest structure and social status are constantly changing.Lower social class is vengeful since they did not completely enjoy the massive development dividends of decades-long reform and opening up.In the meantime,the era of we media that bases on Internet,mobile communication technology and portable mobile terminals has arrived,which enables the public to access and transmit information with dramatically lower time cost,and boosts all types of information's transmission frequency.We media provides public with convenience of sharing information,and poses greater challenges to governments' comprehensive response to mass events.With we media platforms distributing and enhancing the resonation that is shared among a group of negative individuals,the conflict will manifest itself on a massive scale and finally explode.This research aims to investigate how local governments respond to mass events via reasonable decisions in the we media era,so as to improve the government's image and office operations,and facilitate the transformation of economy and society.This research is based on the case of Changzhou Foreign Language School's contaminated land.The research,through interviews with those involved,analysis of online public opinions and literature review,will examine local governments' insensitive early response to mass events,obscure and tardy information disclosure and flaws in long-term management mechanism.Based on the above problems,the research will provide with the governments a version of public opinion management process in response to mass events: firstly,the governments should build a scientific and efficient early warning system,and cool off the public's negative comments on the government through setting up government agenda,screening the media and recruiting volunteers to redirect the online opinions.Secondly,the governments should minimize the information asymmetry-induced risks by improving the news spokesman system and making government affairs transparent,in order to strengthen information sharing and communication during the event.Thirdly,according to the image restoration theory,the governments should seek public forgiveness by improving administrative accountability system,strengthen authority by punishing illegal sedition according to the law,and draw up the list of government's duties to achieve long-term management.