The Impact of Citizen Journalism's Rise in Taiwan on Public Policies : A Comparative Analysis of LoSheng Santorium Conservation Movement, Dapu Farmland Issue, and Anti-KuoKuang Petrochemical Project Event

本研究試圖從樂生、苗栗大埔及反國光石化事件等三項社會運動過程中，探討因網路發展而產生的公民新聞(Citizen journalism)崛起現象，如何在前述社會運動中，發揮輿論影響力，並進而扭轉或影響公共政策過程中的關鍵因素。 台灣政治雖然經歷所謂寧靜革命，並完成多項民主成就，如總統直選及二次政黨輪替等，但從公民作主的角度，則發現政治決策過程並不因民主的進展而能夠真正吸納人民的意見和聲音。其中主要因為代議民主孳生之弊病，加上媒體受到政治經濟力量以及網路興起的影響，日漸喪失原先被賦與和期待的第四權角色，以致公民往往成為精英和官僚決策下的棋子或祭品，卻無救濟之道。 近來台灣公民新聞日益蓬勃發展，尤其公民新聞和公共審議精神的宗旨若合符節，並且在與社運團體合作的過程中，實踐了參與式民主的精神。公民新聞在三個事件中的扮演的角色為何？公民如何能夠透過新媒體，對公共政策表達意見，甚而影響決策過程，乃本研究最主要的宗旨。 本研究將先對公民新聞的定義和發展，民主理論和公共政策分析的演進，進行文獻分析。然後針對個案，就個別事件中公民記者、社運工作者和在地行動者的深度訪談，歸納和探討成功或失敗的原因，並進一步比較公民新聞在其中扮演的角色，以及公共政策所受到的衝擊和影響。 在結論中，將透過訪談心得與民主理論的對話中，探討公民新聞帶來公民解放、媒體解構以及民主進程的種種發展和衝擊。This study attempts to explore how the Internet-based Citizen Journalism phenomenon has exercised as the key factor in influencing the public opinions and further overturning or affecting the decision-making processes of public policies from the Lo-Sheng Case, the Protest from Dapu of Miaoli, and Anti Guo-Kuang Petroleum Plant social movement. The politics of Taiwan have undergone the so-called Silent Revolution and fulfilled numerous democratic achievements, including the direct presidential election system and two rounds of overturning political parties as the ruling parties. However, despite such democratic progress, the political decision-making process has not fully absorbed and accepted the opinions and vox populi (voices of the people) from the perspective of ‘ruling by the citizens.’ The reasons partially lie in the problematic electoral democratic system, coupled with the impact of political and economic power on the media and the rising influence of the Internet media. Media has gradually lost the role of ‘the Fourth Estate’ which was empowered and anticipated by the citizens, so that citizens have become the chess pieces or victims of elitism and bureaucratic decision-making, with no ways out as solutions. Recently the Citizen Journalism has developed rapidly in Taiwan. This has fulfilled the spirit of participatory democracy, especially when Citizen Journalism matches the goal of the public deliberation and cooperates with social movement groups in its process. What exactly is the role that Citizen Journalism has played in these three events? The major goal of this study focuses on how citizens express their opinions towards public policies and even influence the decision-making process. The study first defines Citizen Journalism and its development in democratic theories and public decision-making analysis through the review of literature, followed by case studies with in-depth interviews with citizen journalists, social movement members, and local participants in each case to conclude and investigate the reasons for success or failure, and further compare the role of Citizen Journalism and the impact of and influence on the relevant public policies within these cases. The conclusion exposes the reflections based on these interviews and the dialogues in democratic theories to explore the liberation and media de-construction as well as the multifaceted progress and impact of democratic procession caused by Civic Journalism