Microblogging Dissemination Function Study

The micro-blog is a new media form making content production, processing andsharing with others through the terminals such as mobile phones, computers, tablet PCsby the users.This article is beginning with the origin and development of the micro-blogcommunication. It has summed up the characteristics of the micro-blog communicationby combing the concept of micro-blog and its development in both the domestic andforeign areas. It also analyses the factors and communication processes of themicro-blog, trying to propose the communication modes of the micro-blog. And itdiscusses the great transform of the traditional communication mode taking by themicro-blog communication, as well as the inheritance and development of the socialfunction theory and the negative functions of the micro-blog communication, pointingout the social impacts by the micro-blog. Then, it is analysing the social functiontheory and its representative theories such as Lasswell's Three Functions, Wright's FourFunctions, Lazarsfeld and Merton's Conception of the Social Function, Lippmann andMerton's Implicit Function Theory, Schramm's Conception of the Social Function. Andthis article points out that to analyse the micro-blog by using the Social FunctionTheory is reasonable, feasible and meaningful. Finally, it proposes four socialfunctions of the micro-blog in the context of the internet, which is including functionin focus, function in social and self-expression, function in entertainment and functionin social advocacy comfort combining the specific cases of the micro-blogcommunication.This article has expounded the micro-blog communication systematically. Theauthor hopes that the paper can provide references and examples to the research of therelated fields.