On September 5, 2011, Zhejiang Daily published an article, titled “A Five-Step Process: Actively Guiding Public Opinion Online.” A CCP propaganda department chairman in Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, wrote an article summarizing Taizhou City’s propaganda process on how to deal with sudden public incidents.
Step 1: Within three hours of a sudden incident, publish an online news brief and become the first authoritative voice on the Internet. Step 2: Within 12 hours, hold an online news conference to announce the relevant information based on “the principle of a quick release of the facts with cautious reports on the reasons and more reports on attitude” (relating to the sincerity of the government). Step 3: Mobilize Internet commentators (paid by the government) to set up online discussion topics and give positive responses. Step 4: Immediately follow-up with reports on any new developments. Step 5: Toward the end of the incident, when the public’s attention shifts away, issue fewer reports. At that time, no summarized reports or experience sharing reports are allowed so as to avoid another wave of heated discussion on the Internet.
Source: Zhejiang Daily, September 5, 2011
http://zjdaily.zjol.com.cn/html/2011-09/05/content_1069329.htm?div=-1