Networked Citizens And Networked Citizen Communication

This thesis proposes the new concepts of'networked citizens'and'networked citizen communication'in order to analyze the new phenomenon and new change of the communication environment and media system under the influence of the rapidly developing ICTs.The concept of'networked citizen communication'refers to the communicative behavior and phenomenon mediated by'social media', initiated and participated in by networked citizens. The networked citizens are groups composed by networked users, who connect with other media users across different media platforms by active usage of media as well as ICTs.With the rise of'networked citizens communication'and the networking of mass communication, networked citizens communication and mass communication are competing and cooperating, composing a new communication paradigm.The thesis therefore analyzes the context for networked citizen communication. Then the subject of networked citizen communication is analyzed to evaluate the empowerment and the restrain.The six characters and the eight categories of social media are examined. The rise of social media and the fall of mass media are discussed.As the information flow is always under the control of different factors, so the thesis explores six cases to find out some principles and features and therefore propose the mode of networked citizen communication.The thesis argues that the networked citizen communication is working as both the tool and the field. It's a game of various powers. The challenge and cooperation between networked citizens and mass media, and politics power, and market power are discussed.