Integrated development must prioritize "content is king," leveraging content excellence to secure a competitive edge. To uphold the "content is king" approach, broadcasters and television stations must strengthen their capabilities in original programming and program integration, fostering a robust content ecosystem tailored for multi-channel and multi-device distribution. We must reinforce the principle of "news-driven broadcasting," refining news-gathering and production processes to enhance both the timeliness of news releases and the authoritative quality of program content—ensuring we maintain control over public opinion and effectively lead key discussions. By cultivating a commitment to high-quality programming, broadcasters should launch strategic branding initiatives aimed at elevating program standards, while significantly increasing investments in creating diverse content across genres such as film and TV dramas, variety shows, cultural and educational programs, lifestyle services, and social welfare initiatives. Encourage innovative approaches like independent original productions, co-productions, joint ventures, and commissioned projects to push creative boundaries and develop unique program formats and content. By doing so, we can build a rich portfolio of premium, multi-genre content rights, helping broadcasters expand and fortify their program libraries.Additionally, explore diverse formats and presentation methods for program copyrights, laying a robust foundation for maximizing their value. Strengthen broadcasters' leadership role in developing original, signature-brand programs, empowering them to become the driving force behind compelling Chinese storytelling—and firmly setting the tone for shaping cultural trends in today’s media landscape. Finally, proactively embrace cutting-edge technologies such as interactive platforms and virtual reality (VR) to reimagine program formats, inspiring audiences to actively participate in content creation and, in turn, enhancing the appeal and impact of broadcast offerings.
Notice on the "Opinions on Further Accelerating the Integrated Development of Radio and Television Media with Emerging Media"
New NDRC Document [2016] No. 124
To the Press and Publication, Radio, Film, and Television Administrations of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government; to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Press and Publication, Radio, Film, and Television Administration; and to all units directly affiliated with the General Administration:
The integrated development of traditional broadcasting and television media with emerging media is an inevitable trend—and the only viable path for broadcasters to innovate, survive, and secure a thriving future. To deeply implement the guiding principles from the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, as well as the spirit of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Plenary Sessions of the 18th Central Committee, and to fully align with General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches, we are now issuing these guidelines aimed at accelerating the convergence of traditional and emerging media platforms. This initiative seeks to drive the transformative upgrade of broadcasting and television media, enhancing their ability to effectively communicate, influence, build trust, and guide public opinion in the digital realm.
A. General Requirements
1. Guiding principles. Guided by the series of important speeches delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping, we will earnestly fulfill the responsibilities and mission of the Party’s news and public opinion work, consistently upholding a people-centered development philosophy. By continuously innovating and accelerating the deep integration of traditional broadcasting and television media with emerging platforms, we will steadily strengthen and expand the mainstream ideological and cultural front, providing robust ideological and public opinion support for the coordinated advancement of the "Four Comprehensive" strategic layout, the implementation of the five major development concepts, securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and ultimately realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
2. Basic principles. The integrated development of radio and television media with emerging media should adhere to the following principles:
Uphold the correct direction. Firmly adhere to Party principles, the Marxist view of journalism, proper public opinion guidance, and prioritize positive, constructive messaging. Integrate these guiding principles into every aspect and stage of the integrated development of radio and television media. Vigorously promote positive energy, deepen publicity centered around the "Chinese Dream," and inspire a shared sense of determination and collective progress across society. Focus on strengthening the core business of radio and television, always placing social benefits first while striving to achieve a harmonious balance between social and economic outcomes.
Embrace collaborative innovation. With a strategy rooted in deep integration, drive the coordinated evolution and unified development of traditional broadcasting media and emerging digital platforms across key areas—including content innovation, channel expansion, platform management, process reengineering, organizational restructuring, and security assurance. By fostering mutual reinforcement, parallel advancement, resource sharing, and complementary growth, we can help broadcasting media and the internet make a transformative leap—from simple "addition" toward profound "integration."
Adhere to approaches tailored to local conditions. Leverage the brand strength, geographic advantages, resource endowments, and credibility of radio and television media, identifying key entry points and priorities for deep integration with emerging media. Drive strategic implementation through major projects, foster overall convergence by achieving breakthroughs in specific areas, and build competitive advantages through distinctive service offerings. Stay attuned to the trends of audience segmentation and differentiated communication, playing a leading role in shaping a new landscape of public opinion guidance.
3. Overall objective. By the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, breakthroughs will be achieved in the integrated development of traditional broadcasting and television media with emerging platforms in select regions, giving rise to several foundational models. Looking ahead to the latter half of the 13th Five-Year Plan, this integration will yield comprehensive progress nationwide, leading to the establishment of multiple innovative, diverse, and cutting-edge mainstream media outlets that are highly competitive. Additionally, several robust, next-generation media groups will emerge, collectively shaping a new, well-organized landscape for China’s broadcasting and television sector—characterized by rational planning, orderly competition, distinct branding, varied formats, and sustained growth potential.
B. Key Tasks
4. Foster the concept of deep integration and development. Seize the momentum of media convergence and foster a strong sense of urgency to deepen the integration between traditional broadcasting and emerging media platforms. Lead the top-level design and resource allocation for broadcasting and media development with a mindset centered on deep integration, driving the seamless fusion of traditional and new media into a unified whole. Guided by the concept of integrated development, seamlessly combine frequency channels with innovative media assets such as broadcasting websites and mobile apps. Encourage the collaborative sharing and flow of key production elements—including content, technology, platforms, and talent—to facilitate the transformation of broadcast programs into marketable products, audiences into engaged users, segmented communication into coordinated outreach, and media services into comprehensive, modern information solutions. Finally, refine management systems to ensure consistent editorial guidelines and content standards across online and offline platforms, as well as among diverse media formats.
5. Accelerate the development of an integrated program system. Integrated development must prioritize content as king, leveraging content excellence to secure a competitive edge. To uphold the "content is king" approach, broadcasters and television stations must strengthen their capabilities in original programming and program integration, building a robust content ecosystem designed for multi-channel and multi-device distribution. We must reinforce the principle of "news-driven broadcasting," refining news gathering and production processes to enhance both the timeliness of news releases and the authoritative quality of program content—ensuring we maintain control over public opinion and lead discussions effectively. Cultivating a commitment to high-quality programming, broadcasters should implement strategic branding initiatives to elevate program standards, while significantly boosting investment in creating diverse content across genres such as film and TV dramas, variety shows, cultural and educational programs, lifestyle services, and social welfare initiatives. Encourage innovative approaches like independent original productions, co-productions, joint ventures, and commissioned projects to push creative boundaries and develop unique program formats and content. By doing so, we can accumulate a rich portfolio of premium, multi-genre content rights, helping broadcasters expand and fortify their program libraries. Additionally, explore various forms and presentation methods for program copyrights, laying a solid foundation for maximizing their value. Strengthen broadcasters' leadership role in developing original, signature-brand programs, enabling them to become the primary force behind compelling Chinese storytelling—and firmly set the tone for shaping cultural trends in today’s media landscape. Finally, proactively embrace cutting-edge technologies like interactive platforms and virtual reality (VR) to reinvent program formats, inspiring audiences to actively engage in content creation and, in turn, amplifying the appeal and impact of broadcast offerings.
6. Accelerate the development of an integrated production and broadcasting system. At the core of this initiative lies the construction of an integrated program production and broadcasting control system powered by a cloud-based platform. We will consolidate and upgrade the computing, storage, and network resources of existing production and broadcasting platforms, while seamlessly coordinating diverse content acquisition channels and various delivery methods. This will enable the creation of a comprehensive broadcast and television production cloud platform that integrates content gathering, editing, production, storage, distribution, security management, and operational functions into a single, unified solution. To address the critical need for production and broadcasting security, we will establish public, private, hybrid, and dedicated cloud environments tailored specifically for TV and radio operations. These secure cloud infrastructures will be fortified with standardized interfaces, robust cybersecurity solutions, and stringent communication protocols, clearly defining the security boundaries of the entire cloud platform ecosystem to safeguard both data transmission and system integrity. Furthermore, we will enhance the platform’s foundational capabilities, operational support systems, public service offerings, resource compatibility features, and development interfaces. By refining functionalities such as content creation, aggregation, management, and curation, along with advanced collaboration tools and data analytics capabilities, the platform will be optimized to meet the evolving demands of multi-channel content acquisition, versatile presentation formats, cross-platform distribution strategies, and the growing integration of multiple business models in the media industry.
7. Accelerate the development of an integrated communication system. The National Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television will support the integrated development of radio and television media across multiple dimensions, including refining regulations, enhancing industry (market access), strengthening content-development initiatives, and reinforcing industry-order standards. A key focus will be on providing targeted support to a group of innovative mainstream media outlets and emerging media conglomerates. News and publication, radio, and television administrative departments at all levels should intensify efforts to plan and design flagship integration projects within their jurisdictions, striving to incorporate these initiatives into local economic, social, and cultural development plans. Additionally, they should explore establishing dedicated special funds for the integrated development of radio and television media, while reallocating existing (special funds) for cultural industry development to prioritize major communication platforms and key projects that drive media convergence. Furthermore, it’s crucial to regulate the involvement of financial and social capital in radio and television media integration projects.At the same time, radio and television stations at all levels must leverage their strong credibility and high-quality service offerings to secure priority access to local government resources—such as public information, data, and funding—for their media integration initiatives. They should also increase direct investments in new media operations and convergence projects, actively seek fiscal subsidies, and allocate a designated percentage of the station’s overall revenue generation toward building and sustaining cutting-edge new media platforms.
8. Accelerate the development of an integrated service system. Leveraging the credibility and strengths of radio and television media, as well as the unique formats of broadcast programs, we will harness the capabilities of our production and broadcasting cloud platform and diverse communication resources to vigorously deliver comprehensive information services and actively integrate into the modern service sector. We’ll strive to identify effective pathways for collaboration and convergence between broadcasting and key industries such as government affairs, commerce, education, healthcare, tourism, finance, agriculture, and environmental protection. Additionally, we’ll actively participate in the development of smart cities, smart villages, smart communities, and smart homes. Finally, we’ll accelerate the establishment of cross-regional integrated service platforms to drive collaborative growth across the entire industry, fostering synergistic advancement in integrated service offerings.
9. Accelerate the development of an integrated technology framework. To seize the commanding heights of network information technology, we will advance research and development as well as practical applications in key areas such as cloud computing, big data, and intelligent technologies. This includes refining a robust technical support system for integrated broadcasting and television services, centered around cutting-edge technologies like cloud platforms and big data ecosystems. By integrating and upgrading internal network resources within broadcasting stations and leveraging public cloud services, we’ll build a comprehensive broadcast and production cloud infrastructure, paving the way for the nationwide development of converged media cloud platforms. Additionally, we’ll harness cloud technologies and cloud-based services to enhance IPTV integration and control platforms, mobile TV integration systems, and internet TV integration platforms—strengthening these new-generation broadcasting and media tools. Furthermore, we’ll establish a robust user big data platform to deeply analyze audience demographics, distribution patterns, and diverse, personalized needs. Leveraging this user data and audience profiling insights, we’ll drive innovation in both content creation and service delivery, enabling precision in production, dissemination, and customer engagement. Finally, we’ll strengthen our operational support systems to bolster broadcasters’ ability to directly serve end-users. At the same time, we’ll accelerate the adoption of the TVOS smart TV operating system across intelligent broadcasting devices, fostering greater standardization and intelligence in the next generation of TV hardware and media terminals.
10. Accelerate the development of an integrated business management system. Establish an integrated marketing philosophy, prioritizing the enhancement of the overall strength of radio and television media as the primary business objective, while fostering synergistic development across all commercial operations. Leverage high-quality content and innovative platforms to tap into the growing paid services market. Innovate advertising models and cultivate new revenue drivers in the realm of integrated media convergence. Deeply explore the value of copyrighted content in the market, extending the copyright ecosystem to unlock long-tail opportunities. Capitalize on the powerful, hybrid reach of social networks to actively engage with fan communities around programs and products, unlocking the latent value within diverse fan groups and expanding both service offerings and industry-wide growth potential. Leveraging the rich informational capacity of radio and television programming, develop a wide range of cutting-edge, cross-platform businesses—from online initiatives to offline ventures—and strive to generate revenue across multiple sectors, including information services, e-commerce, and even the real economy.
11. Accelerate the development of an integrated operational mechanism. Mastering the principles of news communication and internet evolution, we will restructure broadcasting and television business processes and operational mechanisms to meet the demands of media convergence. Building on the foundation of broadcast and television news production and distribution, we’ll create a “centralized news kitchen” capable of one-time content gathering, multi-platform presentation, and multi-channel dissemination. Centered around integrated media services, we’ll consolidate broadcasting and television resources to strengthen and expand our core broadcasting and TV operations. Additionally, we’ll establish a unified coordination mechanism to streamline resource allocation, process integration, and other critical tasks in the convergence journey. We’ll leverage the market’s role in optimizing resource allocation, exploring capital-driven approaches to accelerate media convergence. This could involve acquiring controlling or minority stakes in leading internet and technology firms, while piloting a special management-share system for select franchise businesses tied to these digital platforms. Furthermore, we’ll investigate innovative models for cross-regional resource integration and sharing, enabling the scalable and efficient growth of new media initiatives. Finally, by collaborating with external partners, we’ll enhance technological innovation and broaden market opportunities for our converged projects.
12. Accelerate the development of a talent pool focused on integrated roles. Adhere to the principle of political professionals managing media and online platforms, ensuring that key and core positions are staffed with highly skilled, professionally proficient, and morally upright talent. Explore innovative talent incentive measures, establishing a scientific, rational, and media-specific talent motivation system that fosters collaboration, boosts creativity, and encourages active participation in integrated development. Strengthen efforts to cultivate and attract talent in emerging media fields—including content creators, technology developers, financial experts, and management professionals—while optimizing the overall talent structure. Additionally, enhance training programs for versatile, integrated, and specialized media professionals, nurturing a new generation of outstanding, trailblazing innovators. Finally, promote the smooth flow of talent between traditional broadcasting and emerging digital platforms, unlocking fresh creative potential and driving continuous innovation across the industry.
C. Implementation Support
13. Strengthen organizational leadership. Highly prioritize the integrated development of radio, television, and new media, with leading officials personally overseeing the process and taking full responsibility. News, publishing, and radio & TV administration departments at all levels should create favorable conditions from multiple angles to accelerate the convergence of traditional broadcasting and emerging media platforms. Each radio and TV station must treat media convergence as a top-priority initiative, ensuring unified leadership, coordinated scheduling, and centralized management of related efforts. Strengthen comprehensive planning, establish clear timelines, identify key projects, and leverage these initiatives to drive deeper integration. Additionally, assign team members who are well-versed in both traditional media dynamics and the nuances of emerging platforms to spearhead specific tasks.
14. Increase the intensity of policy support. The National Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television will support the integrated development of radio and television media across multiple dimensions, including refining regulations, enhancing industry (market access), bolstering content development initiatives, and strengthening industry order standards. A key focus will be on providing targeted support to a group of innovative mainstream media outlets and emerging media conglomerates. News and publication, radio, and television administrative departments at all levels should intensify efforts to plan and design flagship integration projects within their jurisdictions, striving to incorporate these initiatives into local economic, social, and cultural development plans. Additionally, they should explore establishing dedicated special funds for the integrated development of radio and television media, while reallocating existing (special funds) for cultural industry development to prioritize major communication platforms and key projects that drive media convergence. Furthermore, it’s crucial to regulate the involvement of financial and social capital in radio and television media integration projects. At the same time, radio and television stations at all levels must leverage their strong credibility and high-quality service offerings to secure priority access to local government resources—such as public information, data, and funding—for their media integration endeavors. They should also increase direct investments in new media operations and convergence projects, actively pursue fiscal subsidies, and allocate a designated percentage of the station’s overall revenue generation toward building and sustaining cutting-edge new media platforms.
15. Strengthen intellectual property protection. Strengthen copyright protection for program content, intensify efforts to investigate and address infringement activities such as piracy and unauthorized broadcasting, and safeguard the rights of creators. Enhance the program copyright trading system and build robust trading platforms to facilitate smoother copyright transactions. Promote research and development of technologies related to copyright protection, boosting capabilities to trace and combat illegal activities like piracy and unauthorized broadcasting. Leverage the role of industry associations to foster self-regulation and self-discipline within the sector, thereby raising awareness about the importance of using legitimate, authorized content. Additionally, raise awareness about protecting intellectual property rights—including copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets—throughout the production, distribution, and dissemination of programs and information, while encouraging industry players to promptly apply for and secure these rights.
16. Enhance the integrated evaluation and assessment system. Integrate the achievements of integrated development in radio and television media into the performance evaluation system for broadcasting and television station leadership teams. By systematically incorporating metrics such as audience ratings, expert assessments, and new-media platform engagement indices, explore the establishment of a comprehensive program evaluation framework tailored to the needs of media convergence. Respect the evolving principles of emerging media development, prioritizing the enhancement of overall media effectiveness as the primary evaluation objective. Avoid imposing rigid financial targets or chasing short-term gains on new-media initiatives, instead granting these ventures the necessary time to mature and thrive, while also providing ample room for growth within converged platforms. Furthermore, establish a robust, data-driven program dissemination evaluation system that leverages full-media capabilities and big data analytics, encouraging industry associations and independent third-party service providers to deliver impartial, authoritative program-monitoring data services—ensuring both the integrity and credibility of the information.