On The Characteristics And Influence Of Natural Disasters Reports In Mainstream Media

The dissertation analyses documents on Wenchuan Earthquake reported by mainstream media in China including People's Daily and CCTV etc. It focuses mainly on the following aspects: the features of these reports and the breakthroughs of the media, if there is any; the significance and influence of these reports and the social reality they reflect.The study finds out that the event of reporting on Wenchuan Earthquake is to certain extent different from those of reporting on natural disasters before due to several features it takes on. First of all, the event is reported promptly and comprehensively. Besides that, the media cooperate with the government as to fulfill their propaganda function on one hand, and speak and request for the public as to fulfill their function of supervision by public opinion on the other hand. Lastly, the working staff in media business brings their subjective initiative into full play, creating some new ways of reporting and refreshing reporting styles, which may lead to a new pattern of reporting on natural disasters. Based on the analysis mentioned above, the study argues the reports on Wenchuan Earthquake by the mainstream media in China not only help to transfer information, mobilize the whole society in the earthquake relief work, but also successfully demonstrate the national spiritual integration and impel the establishment of the sense of national identity and patriotism. More importantly, this event may have certain reference meaning on how the mass media can function in the establishment of socialist democracy society. To specify it, the media can function in the following ways: firstly, guarantee citizen's right to know by presenting events from all aspects; secondly, guarantee citizen's right to express and supervise by presenting their opinions and voices in the news and comments; thirdly, encourage citizens to engage in public events and cultivate their citizen consciousness by presenting positive images of those engaging in public events as well as praising their behaviors. And lastly, strengthen their memory of collective participation in public events by stage reviewing the process. At the end of this dissertation, the study discusses reasons for all the features of the reports based on the social and historical background. The transformation of governance concepts and government functions during the process of constructing a harmonious society, the coming of information society, the improvement of national quality, the change of media themselves, the pressure exercised by foreign media and the influence of traditional reporting idea of domestic media are all regarded as influencing factors.The significance of this dissertation lies in the comprehensive analysis of the case. As one of the researches that focus on natural disaster reports, this dissertation analyses one more significant case under the unique background, providing information for further research, thus does a little contribution to researches in this area. What's more, this research does an interdisciplinary study of political science and mass communication. It proposes several roles that the media may play in the construction of socialist democracy society, with a practical case provided.