Chapter 4 4. Between truth and lies, there is an ambiguous word

The Weitong Group was repeatedly bombarded by the media, which shocked Lu Youshun.He sent a deputy director of the Propaganda Department of the Municipal Party Committee to help Weitong deal with the public opinion crisis. The deputy minister, surnamed Yin, is said to be a great talent in Hezhou, especially good at writing Fu.Having been in the political and business circles in Hezhou for a long time, Du Linxiang also knows many stories about official figures.For example, there is a joke about this minister of the vagina that has spread widely. I don't know when it started, it was popular in official circles to remove the word "long" when addressing leaders. For example, Director Chen is directly called Bureau Chen, and Director Li is directly called Director Li.After the Minister of Yin became the deputy head of the Propaganda Department, some people also called him "the Yin".

For this title, the Yin Minister naturally felt uncomfortable.He has said on many occasions that he hopes everyone will stop calling him that.After a period of time, several comrades who came from the county to take up postings did not know this rule, and called them "pubes" in the office again.It happened that another deputy minister passed by, and he taught him a serious lesson: "If you call it like that again, your genitals will grow hair." Du Linxiang heard this joke at a dinner party, and laughed from ear to ear.Another official at the same table sighed: "The Chinese characters are really broad and profound. The same few words, but different sentence sentences, have very different meanings. There is a huge difference between 'the genitals have grown hair' and 'the genitals have grown hair'."

Du Linxiang naturally wouldn't make a mistake in addressing him.When entertaining the party from the Propaganda Department, they all respectfully address them as "Minister Yin".Minister Yin is also a temperamental person. After a few drinks, he patted his chest and promised to mobilize all the media in Hezhou to fight a beautiful public opinion counterattack, and expose the falsehoods of the outside world one by one. In the next few days, local media such as "Hezhou Daily" and "Hezhou Evening News" published a large number of reports to defend the Weitong Group.However, after this round of reports, a new round of tit-for-tat questions from foreign media was drawn. Some even posted on the Internet, saying that Du Linxiang had all-hands-on-hands and bought local newspapers with money.

Seeing the overwhelming condemnation of public opinion on the Internet, as well as various newspapers and periodicals sent by the secretary, Du Linxiang, who was sitting in the office, was really suffocating in his heart.He didn't know where his opponent was, and he didn't know how to fight back, so he could only wait for someone to scold him every day. It may be an exaggeration to say that public opinion can kill, but it is easy to destroy a person.No, the image of Du Linxiang as a profiteer is already on the paper.Many media asked the truth, saying that he had a close relationship with a certain city leader, and that he had an ambiguous relationship with a certain company executive, and some said that his brother-in-law absconded with money... In short, all the things about Chen Guzi's rotten sesame seeds were covered. Turned out!

The most irritating thing was a Beijing newspaper. A reporter from the newspaper called the Hezhou Municipal Public Security Bureau and asked, "Will the police continue to investigate this criminal case that occurred within the Weitong Group?" Of course, the Public Security Bureau replied, " Investigate."But the headline of the newspaper read, "Hezhou Police Said to Investigate Weitong Group". This is a typical "title party" technique!You can't say that his title is wrong, but it can indeed lead readers to make wrong associations.As a result, rumors spread that the Weitong Group was under investigation and that Du Linxiang himself had been controlled by the police.

The attacks from the media over the past few days have exhausted Du Linxiang physically and mentally.One day, he was sitting in the office looking at documents when his cell phone rang suddenly.He took it over and saw that the calling number was a landline in the Beijing area.Could it be another reporter calling?Now that Du Linxiang sees the phone number starting with 010, his heart will tremble for a while. Du Linxiang hesitated again and again, and finally pressed the answer button.Immediately, a familiar voice came from the phone: "Third Brother, how are you doing recently?" "Oh, it's Xiao Yuan. Why don't you use your mobile phone? I saw it was an unfamiliar number at first, and I didn't want to answer it yet." Du Linxiang said.

It was Yuan Kai who called.Since they didn't know each other because of the skyscraper last time, the relationship between Du Linxiang and Yuan Kai has become increasingly warm.Du Linxiang admired Yuan Kai's talent, and Yuan Kai also thanked Du Linxiang for his "help" at critical moments.Yuan Kai originally called Du Linxiang "big brother", but later Du Linxiang said: "I am the third eldest in my family, and many people call me third brother. You can also call me third brother, it sounds good to me." Yuan Kai naturally enjoyed it.From "big brother" to "third brother", it seems that Du Linxiang has regarded Yuan Kai as his own family.

After getting close to Yuan Kai, Du Linxiang did not forget to tell the people in the company to keep his mouth shut.Yuan Kai must not let Yuan Kai know that his father was arrested in the "Flower Tea House" last time, which was actually a trap set by Du Linxiang. "I'm in the office, so I used my landline to make a call." Yuan Kai said, "Third brother, I see that there have been a lot of news about the Weitong Group recently. What's going on?" "Oh, don't mention it. I was repaired miserably by the reporters this time!" Du Linxiang sighed.Speaking of this, he suddenly remembered, wasn't Yuan Kai on the other end of the phone a reporter?

From Hezhou to a famous media in the south, Yuan Kai is a well-known name.Later, facing the cruel reality, Yuan Kai abandoned the journalistic ideal he had adhered to for many years and became an out-and-out media hooligan.He made a lot of money by collecting and writing negative news and blackmailing companies and local officials. Du Linxiang said: "Xiao Yuan, tell me, why are the media so obsessed with me this time? Who the hell have I provoked?" Yuan Kai smiled and said, "Third brother, it's not that you provoke anyone, but that you provide news materials to the reporters all day long. The reporters like you very much. With you, they can earn writing fees every day."

Du Linxiang seemed to understand something: "What do you mean, I have repeatedly made mistakes in dealing with the media this time?" Yuan Kai thought for a while and said: "We are not outsiders, so we can speak up when we have something to say. I am a professional media person. From my perspective, the third brother made a big mistake this time." "I'll ask my secretary to book a plane ticket for you right away. You'll fly back tonight, and I'll ask you for advice." Du Linxiang has one advantage, that is, he doesn't put on airs and is not ashamed to ask.As long as others can understand what he doesn't understand, he will "empty the front seat at midnight" without hesitation.

Yuan Kai was a little surprised: "Third Brother, you're coming back tonight, aren't you in a hurry?" Du Linxiang said: "There is no rush! How to deal with the media, I have no experience at all. This time I was muddled and ruined so badly by others. How to deal with it next time, I just want to ask someone for advice." Yuan Kai couldn't refuse, and said, "Okay, I'll take a taxi to the Capital Airport right away." After four o'clock in the afternoon, Yuan Kai arrived at Weitong Building.On the sixty-sixth floor of the tallest building in Hongxi, Du Linxiang was waiting for Yuan Kai in his spacious and luxurious office. As soon as the two met, Du Linxiang said angrily: "I just got on the phone with the boys from the Beijing Delete Post Company and scolded them a lot. After taking my money, the shit can't be done well, and the Internet is overwhelming. Weitong’s negative reports. Xiao Yuan, haven’t these companies that deleted posts been very good in the past, why can’t they do it this time?” Yuan Kai lit a cigarette and said: "As the name suggests, the post deletion company deletes all kinds of posts on the website. For example, if a netizen posts a post on a forum, the post deletion company will use various relationships to delete the post. The post I wrote years ago about the forced demolition of Sange’s company that killed people was deleted in this way. But this time is different. Various media have intervened and written a lot of reports. These are news collected and written by professional media, and then passed Portal reposting is not the same as posting by ordinary netizens. Of course, the company can do nothing to delete the post!" Yuan Kai continued: "Deleting posts should be a kind of front-end crisis public relations. That is to say, when a netizen posts a post, but many news media have not followed up, the crisis can be nipped in the bud by deleting posts. Once a large number of media follow up It doesn’t matter whether you delete or delete posts. Let’s use a metaphor. Deleting posts is a cold medicine. If you have a common cold and fever, eating it will work, but if you have pneumonia, it won’t work. It’s not medicine. There is a problem with quality, but it is not symptomatic.” Du Linxiang smiled bitterly and said: "It seems that I, a quack doctor, prescribed the wrong prescription." He continued: "This post was only published in the morning, why are so many media following up in the afternoon?" Yuan Kai said: "Because this post is so newsworthy. Those reporters who are sitting in the office and worrying about finding news must be as excited as if they saw this post." "The so-called news value is because of the death of a person?" Du Linxiang asked. Yuan Kai shook his head: "News value is a very cruel and even cold-blooded standard. It doesn't care about human life, it only cares about news. Even if a bus in Hezhou flipped over the highway and killed 10 or 20 people, it is not as newsworthy as the death of Tao Xuefeng. Because Tao Xuefeng was beaten to death by workers, this is the biggest news point.” Yuan Kai went on to say: "A civil war in Africa often kills tens of thousands of people, and more than 3,000 people died in the September 11 incident in the United States, but the global media all regard the 'September 11' incident as a major news. I I don’t think it’s a prejudice, but it’s an expression of respect for news rules. For a long period of time, there have been frequent civil wars in Africa, and there have been too many wars, so it’s not news. The September 11 incident is unprecedented, and of course it’s big news .” Talking about the news, Yuan Kai was always a little excited, and the ideals and enthusiasm that had been wiped out seemed to surge in his body again.He couldn't help recalling those passionate years - in the basement in Guangzhou, smoking a five-dollar Baisha cigarette, typing on the keyboard frantically, writing straight books, stirring up the turbid and clear.Alas, don't mention the past again, life is full of ups and downs.The Yuan Kai from back then may never come back.No one can tell whether the current him has come to his senses or is willing to degenerate! Du Linxiang's words brought Yuan Kai back to reality: "Xiao Yuan, do you think I did something wrong when I dealt with the media this time? Why do the reporters keep chasing me hard and holding me back?" Yuan Kai took a deep breath and said, "Third brother, I think you took three bad moves when dealing with the media this time, which is why you are so passive." Du Linxiang liked Yuan Kai's straight-forward character. He straightened his back and asked, "Which three moves?" Yuan Kai said: "As I said just now, the most news value of this incident is not that one person died, but Tao Xuefeng, the general manager, was beaten to death by the workers. If you don't admit Tao Xuefeng to the reporter at the beginning If he was beaten to death by workers, the news value of this matter will be greatly reduced.” Du Linxiang was a little puzzled: "The facts are there, do you want me to lie openly?" "Of course it's not a lie." Yuan Kai said, "There is a kind of ambiguity between the truth and lies. For example, Weitong can say that Tao Xuefeng has a heart disease. There was chaos at the scene, and there were indeed mutual disputes." However, Tao Xuefeng's cause of death, whether it was a traumatic injury or a heart attack after being stimulated, remains to be further confirmed." Yuan Kai continued: "You didn't say that Tao Xuefeng was not killed, but you didn't confirm it. This is called ambiguity. It's not the same as a lie!" Du Linxiang said: "If I say this, the reporter will stop reporting?" Yuan Kai shook his head: "It's impossible not to report, but after you say this, the media will be restrained when reporting. The media also have to bear the responsibility when they write reports. If they play up Tao Xuefeng's beating to death by workers as soon as they come up , Later, the investigation results proved that Tao Xuefeng died of heart disease, how to end it? So, originally wrote a full page, it was probably compressed into half a page. When editing later, they will also pay attention to leaving room for many statements. " Yuan Kai continued: "But you confirmed to the reporter that Tao Xuefeng was beaten to death by the workers as soon as you came up. As long as the reporter can confirm this point, they can make a lot of hype." Du Linxiang also lit a cigarette, and said thoughtfully: "What you said makes sense. Don't you just use the phrase 'still under investigation' to cover up the news in many places? I won't say yes, and I won't say No, there is no conclusion anyway." Yuan Kai laughed: "Third brother really knows everything!" Du Linxiang asked again: "What is the second move?" "You shouldn't be frequently interviewed by reporters. In that case, whatever you say is wrong, and people will grab your pigtails," Yuan Kai said. The situation in the past few days, just like what Yuan Kai said, no matter what Du Linxiang said, the reporters would over-interpret him, and then turn around and criticize him.But Du Linxiang also has grievances: "Some things are misunderstood by the outside world. Weitong has been wronged, so can't it explain and clarify?" "The media is not the court," Yuan Kai said. "It is the responsibility of the court to clarify the facts. What the media is interested in is to catch the eye-catching things in the incident. Too many words will make mistakes, let alone facing those who are deliberately criticizing. Journalists. You just have to talk, and they've found the material to follow the story." Yuan Kai went on to say: "Tao Xuefeng is dead, so he can't speak. If Weitong and the metallurgical plant keep silent, then the reporter won't be able to collect any valuable information, and they won't be able to write anything." Du Linxiang asked again: "What should I do if the reporter comes to the door, and I just drive him away?" Yuan Kai said: "There's no need to oust, just politely refuse. For example, you can say that you have important matters to deal with, and you can accept the interview at a different time; or you can say that the group office is responsible for all matters related to media interviews. The reporter went to the office, kicking the ball back and forth and doing Tai Chi. Not only can you not talk about the third brother, but also greet the people around you. Like Tao Xuefeng’s wife, who has undergone a sudden change, it is inevitable to say some radical things in front of the reporter. Blood debts, life for life, reporters like to hear it, because they can use it to hype it up." "Your analysis makes sense!" Du Linxiang said, "Then what is the third move?" Yuan Kai said: "The third brother especially should not organize the Hezhou media to fight back!" Du Linxiang said: "This is all the idea of ​​the head of the Propaganda Department, saying that we will fight a counterattack to regain the initiative of public opinion." "What does he know?" Yuan Kai said disdainfully, "I don't know if the truth is becoming more and more clear, but the news must be getting hotter and hotter. News refers to recent events. Tao Xuefeng's beating has been reported extensively." , has become old news. But as soon as the media in Hezhou fought back, a new topic appeared. The reporter who was worried about having no articles to write finally found a gimmick again." Du Linxiang patted his thigh heavily: "Why didn't you contact me a few days ago? If I had listened to your words earlier, I wouldn't be so embarrassed." Yuan Kai smiled embarrassingly: "At that time, I thought that my third brother was so powerful that I didn't need to worry about it." Du Linxiang then asked: "Then what should I do next? Support me quickly. Some media are still staring at this matter." "The only solution for now is to stop saying anything and carry it to death!" Yuan Kai said firmly. "Deadly?" Du Linxiang looked puzzled. Yuan Kai said with a smile: "It's sometimes a strategy to die. I read a biography of the White House press officer before. For example, if the president of the United States is caught by the media because of some scandal and is really powerless, he will choose to die. To die is to wait." Du Linxiang asked again: "What are you waiting for?" Yuan Kai said: "Wait for the next news! Now we live in an era of information explosion, and news events happen every day. Now the media are all talking about the Hezhou Metallurgical Plant. When something happens, all the attention will be diverted. You know, readers are very forgetful." Du Linxiang stubbed out the cigarette butt: "Yes, just carry it to death! I don't believe that newspapers write about me every day. I don't bother me, but people who read newspapers do!" The subsequent development of the incident was just as Yuan Kai expected.A week later, a mass incident occurred in a southern city because of a chemical project.Half a month later, another flash flood and mudslide broke out in a certain northern province.The focus of the media's attention quickly shifted. After more than 20 days, no one mentioned the matter of the Hezhou Metallurgical Plant, as if it had never happened at all. That night, Du Linxiang and Yuan Kai had a working meal in the office.The topic of the conversation between the two is still the relationship between enterprises and the media.Du Linxiang asked curiously: "I often hear people say that such and such a big company has strong media public relations capabilities, and negative news about them will never be reported. How did they do it?" "It's simple, it depends on two things, power and money!" Yuan Kai said, "Some companies with deep backgrounds are not even dared to mess with the government, let alone the media. Of course, such companies are a minority after all. The remaining private companies , media public relations can only throw money.” "There must be a way to spend money. There are thousands of news organizations across the country, and each one pays?" Du Linxiang asked. "That's not necessary!" Yuan Kai said, "Generally speaking, local media are very cautious when reporting local negative news. If something happens, public relations are relatively easy. And those foreign media, which seem to have a large number, can actually Those who make influential cross-provincial public opinion supervision manuscripts are only the ten or twenty companies in Beijing and Guangzhou. If they are dealt with, the other shrimp soldiers and crab generals are no problem at all.” Du Linxiang shook his head: "No, those small media should not be underestimated either. Let's just talk about you, my brother. You are working on an unknown newspaper in Beijing. Don't you also write negative news everywhere? Those who are reported are not afraid of Gotta die." "Third brother really doesn't save face for me." Yuan Kai laughed, "The reason why I have been able to succeed repeatedly is mainly because many people in small places don't know anything about the media circle, so they are led by the nose by me. " Yuan Kai explained: "Let's just talk about my newspaper. The sales volume is less than 2,000 copies a day, so there is no right to speak or influence at all. In the past, even if I wrote ten editions of news, people would Don’t worry about it either. But it’s different now, thanks to the development of the Internet, the news written by those small media outlets will go viral after being posted on the Internet.” "However, the Internet is successful, and the Internet is also a failure." Yuan Kai sighed, "As long as a company has a good relationship with a few major websites, and the websites do not reprint the reports of these small media, then they will not be lethal at all. In other words, As long as you work hard to get a few major websites, those unknown small media can ignore it." Du Linxiang pondered for a while and said, "According to you, it's enough to get a few big websites and ten or twenty influential media." Yuan Kai said, "It's basically the same." "Of course, it's not easy to deal with these organizations." Yuan Kai continued, "For the public, it is necessary to place huge advertisements in these media; for the private, it is necessary to establish contact with the specific person in charge. I know that there is a well-known company in China. An e-commerce company that spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year in media PR fees. It will call in hundreds of media reporters from all over the country for any new product launch. There is also a thousand yuan red envelope. Do the math, just such an ordinary press conference, how much does it cost! Input yields, and a company like this hardly sees any negative news about it.” Du Linxiang sighed: "My family has a big business, so I can afford this money." Yuan Kai said: "We don't need to learn its style of play, and we can't learn it. But through this incident, we can see that Weitong might as well spend some money on media public relations. Now we are walking in the rivers and lakes. What happens in the sky. It is better to pave the road than to hold Buddha's feet temporarily." Du Linxiang nodded: "Chairman Mao said that the victory of the revolution depends on the barrel of a gun and the barrel of a pen. I used to wonder how the barrel of a pen can be compared with the barrel of a gun? This time I have realized the power of public opinion. Tell me, just me How can a small company do media public relations?" Yuan Kai thought for a while and said: "With the current strength of Weitong, of course, it is not enough to burn money everywhere. The main energy has to be put on the front-end prevention, such as signing a long-term contract and letting the people from the post deletion company do it. A network early warning software, they monitor any negative news related to Weitong 24 hours a day. Once a post comes out, it can be deleted immediately." "Network early warning software, is there such a thing?" Du Linxiang opened his eyes wide. "Of course!" Yuan Kai said, "There is no technical difficulty with this kind of software, and I will help you contact a company when I return to Beijing. Compared with going to the emergency after an accident, this can be said to be twice the result with half the effort." Du Linxiang laughed happily: "Okay, good, good! This thing is good!" Yuan Kai continued: "The third brother can also recruit an executive in charge of media public relations. This person must be familiar with the media circle and have certain connections. Usually, he will give some small favors and make friends with those editors and reporters. When something happens , holding the money at least knows where to send it!" "Do you have a suitable candidate?" Du Linxiang asked. Yuan Kai shook his head and said, "I still can't think of it at the moment, so I will pay attention to help you find one later."