China reveals media shake-up plan

President Xi Jinping announced plans to build several new media groups. The statement, which contained few details, appeared to presage a restructuring of China’s media landscape, which has been shaken in recent months by a purge of senior figures at CCTV, the official broadcaster.

The government has also stepped up pressure on Internet companies over the past year in an effort to control public opinion. President Xi Jinping called for the state to “integrate traditional and new media to diversify its communication system.” Song Jiangwu, dean of the school of journalism at China University of Politics and Law, said Xi’s remarks appeared to indicate new thinking among China’s leadership about managing its public message. “The remarks are a sign that senior officials in the Communist party are concerned about the future,” he said. “They are concerned about the influence of traditional media forms and their ability to communicate.”