This is a term used by Chinese journalists in an informal manner to refer to Hu Jintao’s press policy calling for a more active approach to agenda-setting. This policy, which we have termed Control 2.0 at the China Media Project (新闻管制升级版), is Hu Jintao’s modification to the predominant press control policy under his predecessor, Jiang Zemin — namely, “guidance of public opinion,” or yulun daoxiang (舆论导向). While “guidance” is more aligned with traditional press control tactics, such as the use of propaganda directives and the shutting down of information, Hu’s emphasis has been on “public opinion channeling,” or yulun yindao (舆论引导), which combines traditional press controls with the active pushing of official Party agendas through commercial media and Internet media.
While it has been taking shape for a number of years, particularly in the arena of Web controls, Hu’s more active media control strategy was first formally introduced during his visit to People’s Daily and People’s Daily Online in June 2008.