Research On The Internet Forums Based On The Objective Of Public Sphere

Some experts believe that Internet Forum relying on its technical characteristics will become a good platform of constructing an ideal public sphere. On the basis of analysis "Public Sphere"theory, its elements and its functions, this thesis researches Internet Forum would be one of the New Media following the decadent of Mass Communication with discoursing on the "Public Sphere" relationship with the media. In the theoretical frame of communication, this thesis analyzes the structure and public property of Internet Forum to find theoretically that Internet Forum does have the potential for the development to the direction of the public sphere. Thus, this article makes a content analysis of the2011popular event "Yao Jiaxin" event among Qiangguo Forum and Tianya Forum. Based on this, it explores the scale of people surfing internet participating in public events, the degree of internet users'mutual discussion and reasonability, the formation of a consensus. And that makes a conclusion that Internet Forum is the prototype of "Public Sphere", but there is a big gap between Internet Forum and "Public Sphere". Regardless of the official website, a business website or the civil-construction site cannot afford the mission of constructing an ideal public sphere. The technology of Internet Forum is not able to overcome some difficulties including of the digital divide, the lack of rational spirit, and the silent majority. Finally, in the "public sphere" vision, this thesis give some advices to build Internet Forum:the government should strengthen the popularization of network technology, enhance public transparency of government policies, strengthen legislative oversight; Network media need to create the guidance of public opinion in the community a sense of belonging and regulate the online forums; the public should improve their media literacy and strengthen self-discipline, to promote progressively the cross of Internet Forum from the prototype of "Public Sphere" to the ideal.McLuhan highly praised the role of media in human social life in the book "The Medium is The Message", so the birth of a new medium-the Internet forums will also bring unusual changes to people's life style, cognitive style, mode of thinking and so on. However considering "Public domain" as the building aim, the internet forum will be the platform to participate the public events and the communication bridge between government and the public. This undoubtedly contributed to our democratic process, and is conducive to the development of China's politics, economic and society and also is benefit to the construction of China's socialist spiritual civilization, political civilization, economic civilization.