China’s news media has entered a new era characterized by deeper integration with digital and intelligent technologies, as detailed in the ‘Development of China’s News Media (2024)’ report released Tuesday by the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA).
The report highlights generative AI as a key driver of transforming news content production, reshaping journalism and communication business models.
“China’s mainstream media are increasingly focusing on and investing in the artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) sector. By organizing and pooling resources through professional and specialized frameworks and leveraging their extensive film, television, and music assets, they are exploring diversified collaboration models, pooling resources, and promoting the integrated application of AI technologies in traditional media,” the report says.
The ACJA notes that the industry is increasingly defined by data-driven, intelligent, integrated, and platform-based approaches, with social networking playing a growing role. The effectiveness of the omni-media communication system has seen significant improvements.
With the rapid advancement of China’s internet industry, media organizations across various levels and categories are utilizing online platforms to enhance quality and efficiency, optimize production and consumption structures, and stimulate industry growth through AI technology, as highlighted in the report.
“Several AIGC-converged media innovation institutions have been established, driving the integrated development of technology involving businesses, universities, research institutes, and users in the media industry,” the association stated.
In April 2023, the AIGC Application Research Center (Guangxi Laboratory) under the China Association of Press Technicians was officially launched. It focuses on applying AIGC technology across the entire media workflow, from planning and reporting to production, review, and publishing, significantly enhancing content production efficiency.
The report cites The People’s Daily New Media Center, in collaboration with universities, as developing a key project under the Ministry of Science and Technology titled “The AI-Assisted News Writing Robot System Based on Reporting Scenarios.” The project includes research into algorithms for AI-assisted and automated news writing, with successful practical applications.
In March 2024, the Global Times English Edition launched an online AI Lab, integrating AI translation, error correction, image generation, and speech transcription into its daily operations to streamline workflows.
Similarly, in February 2024, CMG established an AI studio in partnership with leading domestic research institutes to support high-quality development. The Shanghai Media Group also set up a generative AI media innovation studio, focusing on six key areas, including specialised AI models for financial media and the application of news AI models. This initiative aims to create more AIGC use scenarios in media and explore immersive and interactive audio-visual content generation paradigms.
The report highlights other significant initiatives, such as the launch of the AIGC Application Research Lab and Industry Incubation Center by Daxiang Merged Media, which promotes AI application and development across various domains through talent development, incubation investments, and industry project initiatives. Chengdu Radio and Television also established an AIGC Innovation and Application Studio, while Beijing Radio and Television Station launched its AI Media Innovation Lab.
As of May 2024, the report disclosed that there were 3,606 internet news information service units in China, offering 14,228 licensed services. This includes 1,912 websites, 3,294 applications, and 8,862 public accounts.
By October 2024, China had over 230,000 journalists with valid credentials, according to the report.
Of these, 59,379 worked for newspapers, 4,107 for periodicals, 2,980 for news agencies, 72,033 for radio stations, TV stations, and newsreel production studios, 6,601 for news websites, and 85,485 for converged media centres. There were 23,667 reporters working for central news agencies and 206,918 for local news agencies.
In terms of gender, 106,699 journalists were male, accounting for 46.27%, compared to 123,886 females, who made up 53.73%. Regarding academic qualifications, 25,334 journalists held a diploma of vocational education (10.99%); 173,366 held a Bachelor’s degree (76.92%); 27,188 had a Master’s degree (11.79%); and 697 held a doctoral degree (0.30%). By age, 23,814 journalists were under 30 (10.33%); 83,844 were aged 30 to 40 (36.36%); 79,320 were aged 40 to 50 (34.40%); and 43,607 were above 50 (18.91%), as stated in the report.
The report also referenced the “Report on Development of China’s Media Industry (2024),” which indicated that the total output value of China’s media industry reached 3.15 trillion yuan (approximately 438 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, reflecting an 8.38 percent year-on-year growth.
Revenue streams within the newspaper, radio, and broadcasting sectors are shifting from traditional channels to a more diversified structure, incorporating digital advertising and various income sources.
According to the report, “The total revenue of the national radio, television, and online audiovisual industry was 1,412.608 billion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 13.74%. The actual revenue from radio and television broadcasting and online audiovisual services was 1,221.208 billion yuan, up 14.47%. Advertising revenue reached 343.536 billion yuan, a rise of 2.78%. This included 6.731 billion yuan from radio advertising, which saw a decline of 8.70%; 51.635 billion yuan from TV advertising, down 6.67%; and 269.834 billion yuan from new media advertising generated online, which increased by 12.09%.
Additionally, other advertising revenue from in-building advertising, outdoor advertising, newspapers, and magazines totalled 15.336 billion yuan. Online audiovisual revenue rose to 564.281 billion yuan, up 27.67%; cable TV network revenue was 71.206 billion yuan, down 1.04%; sales revenue from traditional radio and television programs reached 31.864 billion yuan, down 3.64%; and revenue from programme production-related services amounted to 32.34 billion yuan, up 27.92%.”
The report was drafted by the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China (RUC).
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