This paper comprehensively investigates the communication landscape in the era of social media; and analyzes the public sphere as a shared space of framing and the power competition in it. Unequal capital distribution undermines the ideal public sphere's growth. In this online landscape, the public sphere has shifted from fragmented to scattered, intensifying elite stratification. New online news citizens emerge, gaining audiences. Network news citizens with large bases sway ordinary audiences, forming "discursive communities". These "discursive communities" show traits like "decentralization", "temporality", "fickleness", and "negotiability", aggregating digitally for negotiation and defense. Their boundaries are ambiguous, breaking communication hierarchy, weakening mainstream media and traditional elites, even fostering populism. Legal action and intellectual growth are barriers against chaotic power collusion and transfer. Accordingly, this paper argues that the weak level in the traditional sense of discourse struggle: the mass communication power has the path of promotion. But the media ecosystem is facing great challenges.

Authors:
Qi Zhang, Nanjing University, China
Yuhong Li, Nanjing University, China

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Qi Zhang is a Doctor of Philosophy at Nanjing University in China
Mr. Yuhong Li is a University Doctoral Student at Nanjing University in China

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

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