Media dependencies in a changing media environment: the case of the 2003 SARS epidemic in China

Abstract

This article investigates media dependency among Chinese individuals during the SARS epidemic of 2003. While most media dependency research has examined dependency relations under circumstances when information was readily available, this study looks at a situation in which information was highly controlled and thus was not easily available from the mainstream media. As the socio-structural environment was not conducive to the free flow of information during a major public health crisis, audience members were not only actively engaged in information seeking from alternative resources such as short message services (SMS) and the internet, but they were also involved in creating alternative information channels by being information producers and disseminators. The internet was a particularly empowering tool to allow individuals to bypass official control and to challenge official claims during the crisis.

Cooperation between NGOs and Government in Public Crisis Management in China: Contexts, Practical Plights and Solutions

“…GOVERNMENT‖ COOPERATION Now take a deeper look at China's current situation of -NGOs-Government‖ cooperative relationship in public crisis management and here I will use the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake as an example and this is a typical case for learning about the relations between -NGOs-Government‖ for several reasons: (1) although the presence of NGO is not new and there has been plenty of NGOs since 1990s in China [6] , in the Sichuan Earthquake thousands of NGOs in China percolated unprecedented actively in the rescue and assistance and it was perceived that this is a great improvement in China's NGOs role in public affairs by many experts [ 7 ] ; (2) according to a report published by Peking University, 2008 could be viewed as The first year of China Civil Society and also The First Year of China Volunteer [8] . It is widely believed that NGOs as the players in the third sector in China has shown a great responsibility to the society and they received widespread praise for their participation in Sichuan Earthquake's rescue work; (3) however, as a trial and beginning of -NGOs-Government‖ cooperation and interaction in China's public crisis management, there are still many conundrums and plights for both Chinese government and Chinese NGOs to resolve before setting up a real effective and efficient relations of cooperation in crisis management in China's public administrative situation and this is also a reason why I use the Sichuan Earthquake in 2008 as a case to study the actual cooperative relations between NGOs and government in China.…”

The evolution of Chinese government communication

“…Traditional ways of propaganda and information control were no longer feasible, and disclosure became necessary to tame public unrest. China's first forced experiment of communication became a debacle, and China's image worsened domestically and internationally (Tai & Sun, 2007).…”

Journal of Applied Communications vol. 96(3) Full Issue

“…Media dependency research includes major national disasters or conflicts that could easily be recalled by individuals, such as major hurricanes and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 (Gordon, 2009;Loges, 1994;Lowrey, 2004;Tai & Sun, 2007). Because the most recent and major food safety incident was more than seven years ago, and individuals did not indicate high media dependencies during a food safety outbreak, it is recommended that a similar study be conducted in close proximity to a national food safety outbreak.…”