Page 265 - Feasibility Study of New Media Technology on Constructing Online Public Sphere

Chapter 8. Conclusion

8.2.5 Summary

The introduction of the internet has broken the long-term information monopo-
ly in different countries. The public are now exposed to diverse types of information,

which has gradually cultivated an awareness of freedom of expression and legitimate
rights in Chinese society. The government has changed its attitudes to public participa-
tion from a strict manage to tolerance. This has allowed opportunities for the public to
debate and comment on social events.

With the development of ICT and the media industry, the relationship between the
Chinese government and media companies has changed. A media company must com-
ply with government policy and regulation as long as it is in the Chinese market, no
matter how large the company is, who the stakeholders are, or whether it is registered

in China or abroad. They have to bear in mind the government’s bottom lines during
operation, meanwhile they need to have the ‘consciousness’ when sensitive social event
takes place. The government allows autonomy of operation for media companies at the
business level, but on the condition that restrictions should be followed when needed at

the political level. The Cyberspace Administration and other departments have also es-
tablished a mature management mechanism for the media market, and with the break-
ing of a public event, the final decision will be made by the government and the media
company cannot challenge the official decision or instruction.

8.3 Contributions and limitations

8.3.1 Contributions

This book has largely drawn on Zheng’s theory of technological empowerment.
Through the analysis of three case studies, a triangular ‘government-media-public’
interaction framework was developed to explain the form of the online public sphere

and public participation in China. It also shed light on how online public participation
works in centralism countries like China. The difference between Zheng’s work and
my triangular framework is that the internet or the ICT is regarded as an independent
entity, which demonstrates the significant progress of the media market in China and its

249
249