Uncertainty Management in Chinese Mainstream Media’s Health Communication on Weibo After COVID-19 Policy Shifts: A Discursive Exploration

Abstract

ABSTRACT Given the influence of emotional management on social media in public health communication, examining the discursive strategies employed in health-crisis communication is crucial. Using the Weibo posts of the People’s Daily as a data source, this study analyzes the discursive strategies and resources employed by the mainstream media to address uncertainties pertaining to a 2022 shift in COVID-19 policy. The findings reveal that the mainstream media use both informational and emotional strategies, expressing various epistemic stances and promoting positivity while countering negativity. This study recommends that, in health-crisis contexts, mainstream media actively manage uncertainty by expressing their epistemic stance while also employing emotional governance techniques to provide reliable information and emotional support on social media. The present research broadens the understanding of uncertainty management in the context of the mainstream media’s public health communication on social media and provides innovative crisis communication recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of health communication and risk management.