A Case Study Of Influence Of Mass Media On Rural Social Control

Social control is a decisive factor in social stability and development, and to construct a social control system which goes with modern social development is a key issue in the study of modern sociology. Mass media, as a social public tool, influences not only the urban society but also the rural society with its enormous spreadability and influence. In contemporary China, the construction of social control system in rural areas is related to mass media, especially rural media. Mass media organizations have their tools. They lead and constrain the thoughts and behaviors of rural people through such functions as information spreading, advocating education, public opinion guidance, social implications, civilized entertainment and so on. The emphasis of and focus on certain topics of mass media will attract extra attention from the public to these topics, the media establishes'media agenda' and forms 'public agenda' to control public topics and public opinions so that they guide and control the rural social life. In China's rural areas which are under a transition period, the traditional social control system is becoming less and less functional under the massive impact of social change, so a social control system called by the demands of the new age is to be set up. The vigorous popularity of media forms as TVs, internet, newspapers, magazines and so on produces a strong social effect on rural society. Thus, mass media becomes an important factor which influences rural development and relates to social stability, various kinds of media forms impose a controlling and promoting influence on the rural economic development, political management and cultural building through their subtle influence and advocating in many ways, and this becomes an important part in modern rural social control system.This paper integrates theoretical studies and empirical studies, employing such comprehensive study methods as literature study, investigation study, field study and so on and data collection methods as questionnaires and interviews, and carries out a case study of Zhaowei Village in Hebei Province, on the basis of which it explores the influence and significance of mass media on rural social control, and on the basis of this, this paper proposes a strategy in constructing a modern social control system that goes with rural social structure and economic development through strongly developing rural media.