Research On Communication Management Of Public Internet Opinion Crises

As China’s economic system, social structure and pattern of interest groups are subject to deep reforms and major adjustments, interest subjects and value orientation diversify and social instability increases in the current transitional period, the country is constantly hit by public crises. Therefore, it is urgent for governments at all levels to handle public crises, protect public interests, ensure public security and promote sound social development.On the other hand, as the internet has penetrated almost every corner of the country and the number of cyber users has been on the rise in recent years, cyberspace emerges as an important place where the public get information and air opinions.However, governments are challenged by a knotty problem that online opinions can instantly evolve into direct and powerful public opinion, sparking mass disturbances and internet opinion crises and eventually becoming the driving force for public crises.As most public crises are accompanied by internet opinion crises and some opinion crises happen on the Internet yet affect the real world, governments cannot neglect the study of internet opinion crises. It’s crucial to the harmonious development of Chinese society that we should correctly understand and properly tackle internet opinion crises and lead public opinion in the right and orderly direction.At present, most governments and organizations deal with internet opinion crises in the traditional way of "management". The "management" school is one of the two major schools of international crisis management. The other, the "communication" school uses communication methods to handle internet opinion crises, which is a new field for internet opinion crises study.Based on the "communication" school’s research findings, the thesis explores tackling internet opinion crises with communication methods, and attempts to provide a new perspective, a scientific support and an effective means for governments and organizations in dealing with internet opinion crises. Looking back on the researches on internet opinion and crisis management at home and abroad, the thesis expounds features of internet opinion crises and theories concerning crisis communication management. It also explores the information flow and value stream in public internet opinion crises and fact dimensions and value dimensions in crisis communication management, coupled with their corresponding relationships in communication management and influences on it. Then the thesis goes on with the evolution mechanism of internet opinion crises as well as ways of communication management to handle them.Further, taking cases in Anhui province as an example, the thesis analyzes how governments and organizations use means of communication to change online opinion at various stages of public internet opinion crises. Anhui’s response to internet opinion crises serves as a template for governments and organizations dealing with internet opinion crises, that is:prior to the occurrence of an actual crisis, opinion on the internet should be monitored and any latent crises, if found, must be handled immediately. In the middle of the crisis, communication means such as contacts, dialogues and agenda setting are to be used to lead or even, change internet opinion. Resorting to internet dialogues and other communication repairs, we achieve the targets, thus tainted images are improved, consensus is rebuilt and internet opinion turns positive in the wake of the crisis.