Number of public events on the rise

The number of China's public events has been on the rise for the last five years, and new media has been the main channel for publicizing them, according to a blue book on public opinion and crisis management.

The 2012 China Public Opinion and Crisis Management Blue Book was jointly compiled by the Public Opinion Research Lab of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Social Sciences Academic Press.

According to the book, the number of public events with great influence on society rose from 2007 to 2011. The number of well-attended public events in 2010 reached 308 from 183 in 2007. In 2011, the number of events increased 55.8 percent compared to 2010.

And new media plays an increasingly important role in publicizing social events. Newspapers, online news, and micro blogs are the three main channels for public exposure. Among them, micro blogs are becoming more popular among netizens.

Experts also noted that with the quick development of new media, government officials should learn to better deal with various public events and manage crises in a proper way.