Natl mainstream media eyes modernization push

China's mainstream newspapers must combine quality journalism with digital innovation, strengthen ties with audiences and adapt their operations to an increasingly mobile media environment as digital transformation reshapes the global media landscape, industry executives said on Monday.

Speaking at the fifth China Newspaper Industry Innovation and Development Conference in Chongqing, they highlighted efforts to restructure newsrooms, develop multimedia talent and better engage younger audiences, while expanding cooperation with overseas media.

Organized by the National Press and Publication Administration, the conference focused on reforms to modernize China's mainstream media during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), with an emphasis on expanding their reach and influence and improving audience engagement across digital platforms.

The conference called for greater production of high-quality content, deeper institutional reforms and wider adoption of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies in news production and distribution.

The push comes as the newspaper industry seeks to adapt traditional publishing operations to changing audience habits and an increasingly digital media market.

According to an industry report released at the conference, China's 2,155 newspaper publishers produced 2,353 newspaper titles in 2025, with a combined print run of 23.04 billion copies. The industry generated 72.77 billion yuan ($10.88 billion) in revenue and 3.44 billion yuan ($508.27 million) in profit.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the newspaper workforce grew 13.9 percent to 189,000, even as the number of titles fell from 2,513 to 2,353. Newspaper publishers operated 768 mobile apps, recording 3.85 billion downloads, while the proportion of newspapers with integrated print and digital editorial operations rose from 63.83 percent to 78.4 percent over the five years, the report said.

Deeper media integration must uphold the principle that "content is king", with emerging digital technologies supporting news production and distribution, said Zhu Baoxia, deputy publisher of China Daily, during a panel meeting of the conference.

China Daily is building on its strengths in authoritative sourcing, in-depth analysis, the communication of its perspectives and on-the-ground reporting, while accelerating the adoption of digital and intelligent technologies. It is also expanding its reach through content produced in multiple languages and formats, Zhu said.

She stressed that developing a workforce equipped with cross-platform skills is essential to implementing organizational reforms of mainstream media.

Xu Bo, publisher of Guangxi Daily, said the newspaper's reforms have involved closer integration of management, editorial operations, business activities and technology, as well as stronger coordination between its news apps and social media accounts.

The newspaper has established regular strategic cooperation with 21 leading media organizations across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including those in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, Xu said.

At Hebei Daily, the transition has involved shifting personnel and funding from print operations to digital production. Li Yao, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper, said the group had reduced the regular print edition of Hebei Daily from 12 pages to eight and closed or consolidated some underperforming affiliated newspapers and periodicals.

The restructuring has affected more than 100 employees, with 33 experienced editors transferred to digital teams to produce short videos and specialized content, Li said.

Qian Weigang, deputy publisher of Zhejiang Daily Press Group, said innovation and engagement with young people are central to the group's reform efforts. The group is seeking to strengthen its connection with younger audiences while maintaining a strong focus on people's lives.

Closer coordination among newspapers, news apps, online communities and social media accounts would create more opportunities to connect mainstream values with young audiences, he added.

"We need to rediscover the times through young people's eyes, redefine how we express ourselves through their language, and reinvigorate communication through their creativity," he said.

Contact the writers at xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn