Managing government legitimacy during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: a semantic network analysis of state-run media Sina Weibo posts

Abstract

China’s state-run media are the mouthpiece of the government. During public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, they are responsible for disseminating essential information to the public on behalf of the government. This study examined the Sina Weibo posts published by three leading state-run media entities (CCTV, People’s Daily, and Xinhua News Agency) during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. Semantic networks were extracted from posts during each stage of the outbreak, and clusters of nodes representing communication themes were identified, including investigations of the coronavirus, governmental policies and response efforts, case updates, prevention and control, and medical treatment. These themes indicate the use of information and bolstering strategies to maintain and increase government legitimacy. The findings can inform future risk and crisis communication during public health crises.

Keywords:

• Government legitimacy
• risk communication
• social media
• COVID-19
• China

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cui Zhang Meadows

Cui Zhang Meadows is an associate professor in the School of Communication at East Carolina University. Her research focuses on crisis communication and intercultural communication.

Lu Tang

Lu Tang is an associate professor of health communication in the Department of Communication, Texas A&M University. She conducts research on health and social media from a variety of approaches, such as network analysis, machine learning, and traditional content analysis. She is particularly interested in emerging infectious diseases, vaccines, and related misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms.

Wenxue Zou

Wenxue Zou is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at Texas A&M University, USA. She studies health, culture, gender, and social media from various approaches.