by YASIR HABIB KHAN
In order to achieve new height of sustainability on the path of phenomenal progress especially epic initiative of One Belt One Road (OBOR), China has formed a pivot on new media and its integration into traditional media making them more digital, sensitised and people-centric.
New media has become an important engine promoting economic structural adjustment and transforming the economic development mode in China. New media-related industries have been listed as new strategic industries in China’s low carbon economy initiatives, says a data report shared by Rong Changhai, director, International Liaison Department, All China Journalists Association (ACJA).
“It is serving as a new bridge and bond for communication between the Chinese government and its people. Over the past few years, the Chinese government has committed itself to building service-oriented government through new media, and the central and local governments are encouraged to set up government websites and open micro-blog accounts,”a data report says
“Online politics and supervision are changing China’s political landscape. Innovative political endeavours such as the new institutions of web spokesman and online press conference are emerging. More and more people are expressing views and suggestions on government work via new media to participate in the management of public affairs,” data discloses
Integrating traditional media (newspaper, TV, Radio) and new media (online web portals, social media, mobile phones and others), the data reveals, is in full swing. “Within eight months after the launching of the People’s Daily (top Chinese newspaper) account on weibo.com, its followers surpassed ten million. Its app downloads exceeded five million within two months of its launching,” data says
“Xinhua News Agency, the state news agency of China, is also opening up new media services, building integrated service platforms to launch multiple products, Weibo accounts, such as “Online Reports of China” (Zhongguo Wangshi) and “Xinhua Focus” (Xinhua Shidian) have attracted over seven million and 17 million followers, respectively,” data reveals.
ACJA’s Executive Secretary of Member of Board of Leadership, Zhu Shouchen, during a discussion with 8-member press delegation said that news units on the mainland of China employed a total workforce of approximately one million people engaged in journalism, marketing, distribution, management, administrative services and new media. “Among them, 263,100 work for newspapers, 109,100 for periodicals, and over 600,000 for radio and television stations and other news units. Of the 258,000 journalists who are qualified for the official journalist certificate, about 100,000 work in newspapers, 7,000 for periodicals, 3,000 for news agencies, 145,000 for radio and television stations,” he added.
He says that ACJA is committed to protecting the lawful rights and interests of journalists. The ACJA has established a complaints registration system.
“Like most countries, including developed ones, China manages new media in accordance with the law since 1994. The relevant Chinese laws are open and transparent, to maintain the order of online information transmission, safeguard online information security and promote the prosperous development of new media,” he concludes.