Mass Media Exclusion Theory

This paper emphasizes on Phenomenon, process and cause of mass media exclusion, as well as the evaluation and governance to it.The exordium section summarizes related researches about the issue of mass media exclusion in both domestic and overseas. It includes: Mass media exclusion is an important dimension of social exclusion; Studies on the right to know, to communicate, the right of access to mass media by scholars provide theoretical basis for researches of mass media exclusion; Theories of agenda-setting, silent spiral and knowledge gap reveal the process and mechanism of mass media exclusion from one side.First chapter analyses structures and characteristics of mass communication as"field" and it proposes the main object of mass media exclusion——socialvulnerable groups. This part discusses six elements of communication field:government, advertising clients, producers, audiences, regulation makers and communication institutions and five features: spatial dependence, complexity of combat , openness of Boundary , generalized of effect and covertness of relation. Rights and interests of mass media are related to fairness of communication. Second chapter discusses that mass media exclusion always interacts with cultural exclusion, but they are not completely identical. During this process, some social groups, such as peasant workers and females, as well as their voices and opinions are despised, misunderstood, discriminated, distorted and even excluded by the information communication system and procedure of mass media. Their rights and interests of mass media are ignored, squeezed or deprived.Chapter three to six analyze the procedure of mass media exclusion concretely. Advertising clients become the first subject of mass media exclusion basing on consideration of economic interests and mass media producers play the role of executor. Mass media exclusion possesses selective, psychological and operating mechanism. Moreover, it adopts a series of strategies: utilization,"relief", criticism, neglect and dilution, suppression and isolation and desertion. Mass media excludes vulnerable discourse, cultures and groups. In communication field, media indentity of peasant workers is vilified and they change from aphasiac to marginal nan in society gradually. Symbols, technology and object audiences are the intermediary of mass media exclusion. The influence and harmfulness of mass media exclusion are: expressive obstacle, communicative barrier and marginalization of vulnerable groups, information poverty, information gap and differentiation of wealth, mass media phantom and audiences estrangedness.Chapter seven studies the strategy and basic approach to governance mass media exclusion. This part evaluates the degree of mass media exclusion in different provinces. Also, it revises Li Lei's "triangle pattern of information harmony" and presents "rectangular pattern" based on interaction of government, mass media, advertising clients and audiences. Chapter eight discusses mass media exclusion in the era of globalization. Mass media exclusion in global communication manifests the aspects of polity, economy and culture. To cope with "global mass media" exclusion, international communication system dominated by the government should be constructed, and development of modern "comprehensive mass media industry" whose core is news media shoud be supported emphatically. China ought to promote joint track and dialogue between Chinese and western culture on the premise of exporting cultural products. In addition, mass media in our country can try to improve soft power and become multinational mass media with international influence.