Media Logic and Action Path of Short Video Engagement in Urban GovernanceA Case Study of the Phenomenon of Harbin’s Cultural Tourism Boom

As the process of media-driven governance deepened, short videos play an increasingly important role in urban governance. From the end of 2023 to the beginning of 2025, Harbin’s cultural tourism became popular. With its unique connectivity, ground adhesion, and algorithm-based media logic, short videos led the construction of an actor network. Government departments, mainstream media, netizens, and other diverse actors play a synergistic governance role through political mobilization, emotional engagement, and market promotion, participating in urban governance and enhancing governance effectiveness in an all-round way. Consequently, Harbin emerged as a top-tier city for short video platforms, attracting substantial traffic. However, to sustain the empowerment of urban governance through short videos, caution had to be exercised against potential risks such as excessive sentimentality, formalism, and over-reliance on platforms inherent in media-driven logic.