A recent article in Red Flag Manuscript stated that the Party’s media and state run media must be the first to report on major social unrest. “In recent years, there have been mistakes in reporting news about emergency incidents. Most mistakes were made in the first report. Either the first report was not timely, resulting in rumors flooding the media, or the first report had false or distorted information, which the public strongly challenged; this has seriously damaged the Party and the government’s image.”
“As the Party’s newspaper and TV have reliable sources of information and a fast transmission mechanism, they are in the best position to lead public opinion, … but for various reasons, in recent years, flexible, freelance urban media and new media have played the leading role in publishing the latest news and guiding public opinion. Often local Party newspapers and TV cannot get a head start on meeting the people’s needs for information, and have been marginalized.” The article recommended that regulations be promulgated to institutionalize a mechanism that would allow the state’s media to play their role.
Source: Red Flag Manuscript reprinted by Qiushi, August 24, 2011
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2011/201116/201108/t20110824_104838.htm