“The entire city’s propaganda team includes 60,000 people in the system and over two million outside of the system. We must strengthen the positive guidance of hot topics. Every single propaganda worker must successfully utilize new media. ‘Read Weibo, open a Weibo account, post to Weibo, and study Weibo’ to develop the Internet’s positive energy.”
At yesterday’s municipal propaganda department meeting in Beijing, Vice Mayor Lu Wei implored 60,000 propaganda workers “in the system” and over two million “outside the system” to “use Weibo.” According to official records, Beijing has a population of more than 20 million–from Lu’s statement, one out of every ten Beijingers is a “propaganda worker.” The South China Morning Post has confirmed this number.
Netizens are stunned. “2 mil +?!… I hope so!” (200多万？！。。。但愿如此！) snorts Sina Corp. Executive Vice President Tong Chen (@老沉).
A Caijing (@财经网) Weibo post on the news circulated quickly before it was deleted. Nanfang Media Group‘s Southern Metropolis Daily (@南方都市报) also tweeted the story; the comment function is disabled on this post.
Southern Metropolis Daily’s post.
CDT Chinese has gathered Weibo commentary on the shocking news:
@Weizhuang:Question: Who is paying these people? Who’s money is it? Who’s interests do they speak for?!
@卫庄：【问】这些人谁来养？这钱谁来出？他们提谁说话？
@HengyangMala: The Party is paying them. Do you think they will speak for your interests instead of Party’s ? !
@衡阳凯哥麻辣点评：党给的钱，不替党说话替你说话啊！！
@WonderfulLife: Weibo will become just like News Simulcast~~
@晶睬的生活：以后微博就跟新闻联播一样了~~
Caijing’s deleted post.
@wenzhengbing: Two million zombies are ready to attack.
@gigico: 60,000 Professional fifty centers, two million temps.
@大果果李：6万职业五毛，200万临时工五毛
@troy1979: The city’s crawling with fifty centers.
@2007豆霸：满城尽是五毛党
Via CDT Chinese.
