The Research Of Media’s Function And Significance In Shaping Local Government’s Image

The government’s image is an important intangible resource of government. Among variousmodern communication modes, mass media, with its rapid and extensive transmission speed, hasbecome the most influential media that shapes governments’ images. This is one of the reasons whygovernment’s image is mainly shaped by mass media. At present, China has entered a crucial periodof building a moderately prosperous society and accelerating socialist modernization. Especiallyafter the convening of the18th National People’s Congress, the Communist Party of China hasclearly identified the grand goal of building a moderately prosperous society in2020. In such aspecial time, along with the rapid development of economy and technology, the structure of oursociety is experiencing dramatic changes—distinct social stratification and sharp socialcontradiction. In order to solve the various contradictions and problems in the specific period oftime and ensure the society’s sustainable, healthy and stable development, all levels of governmentneed to deepen the reform and transform development mode to satisfy the public. However, therapid development of science and technology has brought prosperity to new media so that the mediaenvironment has undergone tremendous changes. The dissemination of government’s informationhas become more efficient meanwhile confronted various new challenges. To boost the harmoniousdevelopment of society, media must make continuous efforts to coordinate the relationship betweenthe government and the public and contribute to local development and overall social progress. Onthe one hand, the government should deepen communication with media and disseminategovernments’ concepts and actions through mass media, winning public understanding and supportto ensure the smooth implementation of the policy guidelines which promote social development.On the other hand, the media should be in-depth study of particular contemporary mediaenvironment and the characteristics of the audience, to overcome the historical issue of mass media,which is “high, large and full” communication mode, and keep good communication with the public.The media should handle government’s information properly, broadcast news on the basis of factsand in public-loved manner. It should maximize media’s key role in shaping government’s imageand contribute to the construction of a moderately prosperous society. Theoretically, the past studiesof media’s role in government image construction are mostly abstract. This article focuses on asmaller angle–media’s role in shaping local government’s image, making specific analysis of mainproblems of government’s image construction from the angle of the propagation environment,trying to identify the problems of local government’s image construction and finding out a bettertheoretical solution for mass media in shaping government’s image.