The shadowy world of online PR
By Claire Wang |
October 23, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE libel case between Mengniu and Yili has exposed the shadowy world of online public relations campaigns, where industry insiders say PR companies make big money posting positive comments on behalf of a company or negative ones to damage rivals.
Internet PR companies also offer to remove negative comments. Deleting one negative post on a website could cost thousands of yuan, depending on the popularity of the website or BBS, The Beijing Times reported yesterday.
For example, deleting one post from the most popular domestic online forums costs 2,200 yuan (US$330), while the average price for removing posts on other websites is 1,500 yuan each, according to the rate offered by PR agency Black Pioneer.
The agency claimed to the newspaper that it has access to a large group of specialists, including Internet security experts, lawyers and hundreds of editors and writers. They can remove online negative information through connections with website staff, an employee said.
Removing a post from a website is relatively straightforward. If a PR company has connections with the website, a phone call can often solve the problem, the report said, citing Li Mingwei, a former Internet PR company employee.
In some instances, PR companies may share profits with websites, Li added.
Indeed, some PR companies and websites deliberately produce negative reports and extort money from the company involved by offering so-called "solutions."
Many IT companies have become involved in the Internet PR market due to the low costs. The domestic Internet PR market exceeds 1 billion yuan, according to a report by China International Public Relations Association.
Internet PR companies also offer to remove negative comments. Deleting one negative post on a website could cost thousands of yuan, depending on the popularity of the website or BBS, The Beijing Times reported yesterday.
For example, deleting one post from the most popular domestic online forums costs 2,200 yuan (US$330), while the average price for removing posts on other websites is 1,500 yuan each, according to the rate offered by PR agency Black Pioneer.
The agency claimed to the newspaper that it has access to a large group of specialists, including Internet security experts, lawyers and hundreds of editors and writers. They can remove online negative information through connections with website staff, an employee said.
Removing a post from a website is relatively straightforward. If a PR company has connections with the website, a phone call can often solve the problem, the report said, citing Li Mingwei, a former Internet PR company employee.
In some instances, PR companies may share profits with websites, Li added.
Indeed, some PR companies and websites deliberately produce negative reports and extort money from the company involved by offering so-called "solutions."
Many IT companies have become involved in the Internet PR market due to the low costs. The domestic Internet PR market exceeds 1 billion yuan, according to a report by China International Public Relations Association.
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