The Impacts of Online Grassroots Criticism on Citizen Satisfaction With Government: An Inconsistent Mediation Model

Tianjiao Wang; Fei Shen

The Impacts of Online Grassroots Criticism on Citizen Satisfaction With Government: An Inconsistent Mediation Model

Tianjiao Wang, Fei Shen

Department of Media and Communication

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

623 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

Criticism of government is prevalent on news websites all over the world, but not many studies have investigated its influence on citizen satisfaction with government. This study proposes an inconsistent mediation model, which theorizes impacts on citizen government satisfaction coming from both the content of criticism and the context within which the message is delivered. The model is contextualized to and tested in China where Internet censorship is heavy and widespread. Based on an experiment, this study finds that the context-based impact of online criticism leads to an increase in perceived freedom of speech and citizen satisfaction with government. The context-based effect largely offsets the negative influence incurred by the content of criticism, but the patterns are not consistent across news genres.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	113-136
Journal	International Journal of Communication
Volume	11
Publication status	Published - 2017

Bibliographical note

Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).

Funding

This project is partly supported by Grant 9618009 from the Department of Media and Communication, City University of Hong Kong, and Grant 9042284 from the General Research Fund from the University Grants Committee, Hong Kong.

Research Keywords

grassroots criticism
censorship
citizen satisfaction with government
inconsistent mediation model
China
POLITICAL CONTEXT
CHINA
INFORMATION
PERFORMANCE
INTERNET
SUPPORT
NEWS
CENSORSHIP
STRATEGIES
PRESIDENT

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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11812597.pdfFinal Published version, 760 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/5487

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Cite this

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title = "The Impacts of Online Grassroots Criticism on Citizen Satisfaction With Government: An Inconsistent Mediation Model",

abstract = "Criticism of government is prevalent on news websites all over the world, but not many studies have investigated its influence on citizen satisfaction with government. This study proposes an inconsistent mediation model, which theorizes impacts on citizen government satisfaction coming from both the content of criticism and the context within which the message is delivered. The model is contextualized to and tested in China where Internet censorship is heavy and widespread. Based on an experiment, this study finds that the context-based impact of online criticism leads to an increase in perceived freedom of speech and citizen satisfaction with government. The context-based effect largely offsets the negative influence incurred by the content of criticism, but the patterns are not consistent across news genres.",

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author = "Tianjiao Wang and Fei Shen",

note = "Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).",

year = "2017",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

pages = "113--136",

journal = "International Journal of Communication",

issn = "1932-8036",

publisher = "USC ANNENBERG PRESS",

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T1 - The Impacts of Online Grassroots Criticism on Citizen Satisfaction With Government

T2 - An Inconsistent Mediation Model

AU - Wang, Tianjiao

AU - Shen, Fei

N1 - Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Criticism of government is prevalent on news websites all over the world, but not many studies have investigated its influence on citizen satisfaction with government. This study proposes an inconsistent mediation model, which theorizes impacts on citizen government satisfaction coming from both the content of criticism and the context within which the message is delivered. The model is contextualized to and tested in China where Internet censorship is heavy and widespread. Based on an experiment, this study finds that the context-based impact of online criticism leads to an increase in perceived freedom of speech and citizen satisfaction with government. The context-based effect largely offsets the negative influence incurred by the content of criticism, but the patterns are not consistent across news genres.

AB - Criticism of government is prevalent on news websites all over the world, but not many studies have investigated its influence on citizen satisfaction with government. This study proposes an inconsistent mediation model, which theorizes impacts on citizen government satisfaction coming from both the content of criticism and the context within which the message is delivered. The model is contextualized to and tested in China where Internet censorship is heavy and widespread. Based on an experiment, this study finds that the context-based impact of online criticism leads to an increase in perceived freedom of speech and citizen satisfaction with government. The context-based effect largely offsets the negative influence incurred by the content of criticism, but the patterns are not consistent across news genres.

KW - grassroots criticism

KW - censorship

KW - citizen satisfaction with government

KW - inconsistent mediation model

KW - China

KW - POLITICAL CONTEXT

KW - CHINA

KW - INFORMATION

KW - PERFORMANCE

KW - INTERNET

KW - SUPPORT

KW - NEWS

KW - CENSORSHIP

KW - STRATEGIES

KW - PRESIDENT

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UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85010458337&origin=recordpage

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1932-8036

VL - 11

SP - 113

EP - 136

JO - International Journal of Communication

JF - International Journal of Communication

ER -

The Impacts of Online Grassroots Criticism on Citizen Satisfaction With Government: An Inconsistent Mediation Model

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

UN SDGs

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Permanent Link

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GRF: Trust in Media revisited: A Rational-emotional Model

Cite this

The Impacts of Online Grassroots Criticism on Citizen Satisfaction With Government: An Inconsistent Mediation Model

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

UN SDGs

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

Projects

GRF: Trust in Media revisited: A Rational-emotional Model

Cite this