Will convergence help traditional media?

Some media outlets have bucked this trend and flourished in recent years even as the media industry in general is in decline. Most of them have generated income from diversified operations, such as real estate, acquisition of game companies, or through travel and catering agencies, rather than their main business. Since their business moves are aimed at saving their flagships, that is, media outlets, they are beyond reproach. Yet such moves are a deviation from the original intent of consolidating "the bases to promote ideology and culture and expand the influence of mainstream public opinion".

Since media convergence has become a national policy, media outlets of all kinds across the country are already competing for policy resources. For example, telecom giant China Mobile has made a timely decision to integrate its five content bases into a new media company. But media outlets will not become more competent to guide public opinion only because of limit up in their stocks and by making creative products like MYOTee. They need the power of ideology to see the game through.

Experience shows that some media outlets could use the "media convergence" policy and public funds to their advantage in the "industry chain extension". Moreover, in the most crucial aspects of information dissemination and guiding public opinion, projects for political achievements or image building will emerge in batches without any concern for costs or outcome and eventually remain unfinished. Perhaps media outlets would eventually become game companies (as some already have), without helping improve the environment for communication and public opinion.

President Xi said: "Reform of the media should combine media convergence and management to make sure these two follow the correct path of progress." And by doing so, he has defined the requirements for media convergence and management, that is, the two elements cannot be independent of each other even if the effort is not very fruitful.

The author is a researcher with the News Research Institute at Xinhua News Agency.

(China Daily 08/29/2014 page9)