Xi’s Speech On News Reporting Resonates With Domestic Outlets

President Xi Jinping’s speech at a symposium on news reporting and public opinion on Friday has generated discussions across domestic media outlets.

According to Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the Party’s media work should guide the public, serve the country’s overall interests, unite the general public, instill confidence and pool strength, tell right from wrong and connect China to the world.h Xi delivered the speech following his visits to the People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television, the country’s three major news providers.

LOYALTY TO THE PARTY

The People’s Daily, in one of its two commentaries published since Sunday said Xi had directed the route along which the journalism industry should develop, and provided fundamental principles to follow.

The article said that media outlets run by the Party and the government must follow the party’s leadership, reflect the Party’s will, and be the mouthpiece of the party and the people.

The Overseas Edition of the People’s Daily said in an article Monday that Xi’s speech has clearly defined the responsibilities and missions of news reporting in a new era.

Meanwhile, Xinhua News Agency published commentaries on three consecutive days expounding Xi’s speech, vowing to stick to the CPC’s leadership and focus on positive coverage.

Following the Party’s leadership was the fundamental principle for journalism, Xinhua said, adding the Party’s leadership over the media would never change despite the development of time and transformation of media patterns.

Guangming Daily, another major media outlet, called the speech a source of encouragement in a front-pate commentary on Monday. It said the speech signalled historic opportunities for journalists, and it called on them to pay attention to the political direction of their articles in addition to truthfulness of details.

THE CHINESE DREAM

News outlets lauded Xi’s speech regarding their role in the realization of the Chinese dream.

Guangming Daily said news reporting and public opinion work is closely related to the party’s mission and has played an important role in the construction of the People’s Republic of China.

The newspaper said while the nation was deepening overall reform, news media should guide public opinion to rally support for achieving the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the nation.

The view was echoed by the People’s Daily, which said positive coverage should dominate reporting, and unity, stability and encouragement should feature prominently in stories.

The People’s Daily added to realize the Chinese dream, news media must create a public opinion that is conducive to sticking to the party’s leadership and socialism, to promoting reform and development, to enhancing national unity, and to maintaining social harmony and stability.

Acknowledging public opinion serves as an important force that impacts on social development, Xinhua called on journalists to study Xi’s speech and play their part in improving the news reporting and public opinion guidance capability of the party’s news media, thus, providing strong spiritual force for the realization of the Chinese dream.

CONNECTING CHINA WITH WORLD

Calling for new concepts, content and methods, Xi told media groups to make use of new media’s edge in publicity, amplify their voices on the international stage, tell stories about China well and build flagship media groups with strong global influence.

The requirements demonstrated that the CPC Central Committee commanded deep understanding of news communication rules and media development trend, according to an article released by Xinhua.

Official new outlets must tell Chinese stories well to the outside world and make the Chinese voice better heard, Xinhua said.

“There are so many voices about Tibet worldwide, thus, we are required to write quality work with thought and warmth, showing the world the prosperity of new Tibet and reflecting the success of the central authorities’ governing and the new life of people living in Tibet,” said Dorje Dramdui, deputy head of Xinhua’s branch in Tibet Autonomous Region.

The Overseas Edition of the People’s Daily said in an article on Saturday that Xi’s speech raised an important issue: how a nation’s image should match its strength.

Zhao Suisheng, a professor with the University of Denver, told the Overseas Edition of the People’s Daily that Xi had raised new requirements for Chinese media, suggesting they report on China’s achievements of reform and opening up and its stories of tackling difficulties in development.

Feb. 23, 2016 on CCTV English

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