Appropriate Distance and Smooth Communication between Government and Public

LIU Xiaoyan

Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication ›› 2016, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (12) : 36-53.

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PDF(1819 KB)
Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication ›› 2016, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (12) : 36-53.

Appropriate Distance and Smooth Communication between Government and Public

  • LIU Xiaoyan is research member of the global public foreign affairs research center, the strategic college of state development of Renmin University of China, professor at the School of Journalism and Communication and research member of the Journalism and Social Development Research Center of Renmin University of China.
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Abstract

The relationship between the government and the public is a distance in physical and motionless sense before it is really established, and the serial motionless distances are connected to form a kind of dynamic one, which is the formation process of the distance between government and public. There are four sorts of distances or distance formations between government and public - surfcial connection, mild communication, moderate communication and in-depth communication beside the unconnected state (there is no connection and communication between government and public, let alone the distance between them). Generally speaking, the distance between government and public is in the situation of mild communication and moderate communication, and the appropriate distance between them is represented by their harmonious or suitable distance both in beneficial and psychological senses. The basic distance between government and public is a psychological one, and anchoring the psychological distance is the key element of their smooth communication. In order to realize the smoothest communication between the government and its information recipients, feedback providers and social actors, the government should shorten the distance between itself and the public based on the informative environment and the third party’s coordinating mechanism to guarantee the bilateral dialogue and understanding, to reach the consensus. It is the goal for both the government and the public to establish a coordinating and believable governmental relationship, which requires the government to carry out effective measures, win the trust of the public and anchor political trust.

Key words

political communication / government and public / appropriate distance / psychological distance / political trust

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LIU Xiaoyan. Appropriate Distance and Smooth Communication between Government and Public[J]. Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication. 2016, 38(12): 36-53

Funding

The paper is subsidized by the project of 'Study on the Relationship of Government Discourse and International Regulations’ (No. 14BXW022) supported by National Philosophy and Social Science Foundation.
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