The Interaction of the Mainstream Media Group with Other Agents in China under media convergence: A Perspective of Media Ecology

Abstract

Media convergence and omnimedia communication system construction is not only the development strategy of national cultural undertakings in China, but also the development direction of the mainstream media in China. Under this background, the mainstream media group in China makes effort to develop into new mainstream media groups. The macro media ecology is the external condition for the development of the mainstream media group in China. It is crucial for the mainstream media group to understand the macro media ecology for its development. Under the media convergence environment, the mainstream media group, the government, the audience and other media organizations are the main agents in the macro media ecology. This study is designed to investigate the relationships of the mainstream media group with the government, the audience and other media organizations which reflect the interaction of the mainstream media group with other agents. From the perspective of media ecology, under the theory framework of ecology population relationship theory, with the case study in qualitative research, this study analyzed the relationship of the mainstream media group with the government, the audience, and other media organizations at different stages of media convergence. As the representative of mainstream media group in China, Chongqing Daily Newspaper Group was the selected case. The data were collected from the public literature and personal communication. This study adopted coding method of procedualised grounded theory in a way of open coding, axial coding and selective coding to analyze the data and to build the theory. The results showed that the mainstream media group experienced 3 stages of media convergence development and the mainstream media group had a good interaction with the government, the audience and other media organizations. Their relationships were positive which made a harmonious and balanced macro media ecology for the mainstream media group development under media convergence.