Page 90 - Feasibility Study of New Media Technology on Constructing Online Public Sphere

Feasibility Study of New Media Technology
on Constructing Online Public Sphere

Chapter 4. Methodology

4.1 Introduction

This chapter explains the main research methods used and the rationale for choos-

ing them.
The ‘government-media-public’ analytical framework of the research requires ex-
amination of each group. To do this, three research methods were employed: question-
naire surveys, semi-structured interviews and case studies.

The questionnaire surveys sought to investigate the netizens’ opinions about the
empowerment of ICT and the public’s attitudes towards government regulations and
decision-making. Conducting the questionnaire survey anonymously reduced worries
for Chinese citizens and offered them the opportunity to express their views freely. A

questionnaire survey is also a direct way to answer the research questions from the per-
spective of the public.
Semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the media’s perspective.
Interviewees were chosen from commercial internet companies, state-owned media

enterprises and official media departments. A wide range of interviewees can provide
diverse information from different aspects in the media domain and it helped under-
stand their experiences and opinions toward the empowerment of social media services,
the dynamics and forms of online public participation, their knowledge about the public

events chosen in the case studies, and most importantly, their professional views about
the changing relationship among the three parties.
Choices about the cases were made deliberately on the basis of their meaning in
Chinese society. The aim of the case studies was to collect materials to examine the dy-

namic relationships between the three elements, but each had a specific emphasis. The
case of Sun Zhigang was mainly about the issue of migrant worker; it was used explore
the relationship between the public and the government, and to discuss the possibility

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