Omni-media, platform-based communication on the rise in China's news media sector

BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- In 2020 and 2021, omni-media and platform-based communication became a rising trend in China's news media industry, according to a report by the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) unveiled Monday.

The report, titled "Development of China's News Media," the sixth of its kind from ACJA since 2014, reviews the new developments in the country's news media sector in the era of deep convergence.

New media became an important growth point in the media industry. Citing statistics, the report noted that as of December 2021, the number of online news users had reached 771 million, increasing by 28.35 million from December 2020 and accounting for 74.7 percent of China's total Internet users.

Over the past two years, traditional media such as radio, television and newspapers have seen a slow pace of growth and continued to focus on deep convergence and digital transformation, the report noted.

According to the report, emerging technologies, such as media platforms, data transmission, high-definition video technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G, have driven media reform and innovation.

"In this context, the media workforce in China is becoming younger and better educated, and more capable," read the report.

China's news sector employed approximately 1 million employees, according to figures.

The report also noted that the past two years saw further efforts made by the ACJA in protecting journalists' rights.

According to the ACJA, the report, originally in Chinese, will also be made available in multiple languages, including English, French, Russian, Spanish and Arabic.