Improve All Aspects of the Party's Media Leadership

Improve All Aspects of the Party's Media Leadership* 

February 19, 2016 

Publicity through media is an important responsibility of the CPC. It is of great significance to the governance and stability of the country. We should adapt to changes in the domestic and international situations, and identify the role of media in the Party's overall work. In this field, we must uphold the leadership of the Party, keep the correct political orientation, maintain a people-centered work ethic, follow the rules of news dissemination, and develop innovative methods. In this way can we effectively improve the coverage, guidance, and influence of the Party's news media, and increase its public trust. 

Over a long period of time, the major media under the CPC Central Committee have stood side by side with the Party and the people, and kept abreast of new developments. They have spread the truth of Marxism, advocated the Party's ideas, and conveyed the people's voices, thereby playing a critical role in stages of revolution, reform and development. They have promoted the general tenor of the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012 and the third, fourth and fifth plenary sessions of the CPC Central Committee in 2013, 2014 and 2015. They have highlighted the major decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, and reported the activities and attitudes of the public, spreading mainstream values and positive energy. They have motivated Party members and all Chinese people to work together for the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. 

The Party's publicity through media concerns the nature and path of socialism, the implementation of the Party's theories, lines, principles, and policies, the progress of all aspects of the Party and the country's work, the cohesion between the Party and the people and the bonds that link them, and the future of the Party and the country. Therefore we must steer our Party's publicity through media based on the Party's overall plans, give it full attention, and work out precise and effective measures to improve it. 

Right now the Party's media has the following responsibilities:
–  upholding socialism and guiding public opinion;
–  focusing on our major task and serving the overall interests of the country;
–  uniting the people and boosting morale;
–  fostering social morality and forging cohesion among the people;
–  refuting mistaken ideas and discerning between truth and falsehood; and
–  connecting the country with the outside world.

To fulfill this mission, we must keep to the right political orientation and take it as our top priority, remain committed to the Party spirit and principles, adhere to the Marxist view of journalism, maintain the right tone in guiding public opinion, and put focus on positive publicity. 

To remain committed to the Party spirit and principles, the fundamental prerequisite is the Party's leadership over publicity. Media run by the Party and the government are responsible for Party and government publicity; they must therefore be led by the Party. They must represent the Party's will and advocacy, safeguard the authority of the CPC Central Committee and the unity of the Party, and love, protect, and serve the Party. People working in the Party's media must remain in alignment with the CPC Central Committee in political ideas, and maintain a high level of accord in their thinking and actions. They should maintain that Party spirit and the people's interests are integrated, lead the people in conscientiously acting in accordance with the Party's theories, lines, principles, and policies, reflect good experience created by the people and the actual problems they face,
enrich their spiritual world, and increase their mental strength. The view of journalism is the soul of news media. We should improve education on the Marxist view of journalism, encourage journalists to publicize the Party's ideas and policies, record the changes of the times, promote social progress, and exercise public supervision for fairness and justice. 

We must maintain the right tone in all aspects of publicity. Party newspapers, periodicals, radio and TV stations at all levels should follow this principle, as should local newspapers and periodicals and new media. News reports must follow this principle, as must supplements, features and advertisements. Reports on politics and news must follow this principle, as must reports on leisure and society. Domestic news reports must follow this principle, as must international news reports. 

Maintaining unity and stability, boosting morale, and encouraging publicity that is primarily positive is the basic principle of the Party's news media work. Positive publicity should be attractive and appealing. Truth is the lifeblood of news reports. Journalists should faithfully describe facts. They should accurately report individual events and tell the whole story. Public scrutiny through the mass media is consistent with promoting positive publicity. News media should face up to problems in our work and social evils, eliminate vice and exalt virtue, and condemn unhealthy tendencies. Critical reports should also give accurate facts and objective analysis. 

As conditions evolve, the Party's publicity must be innovative in concept, content, genre, form, methods, and means of news reporting, as well as in channels, systems, and mechanism of media operation, making news coverage more targeted, timely and effective. The Party's news media should be adapted to the trend of individualized and differentiated dissemination, and create a new framework in guiding public opinion. We should advance integrated development by utilizing the advantages of new media communication. We should seize opportunities, keep good paces, and adopt sound strategies, and pay close attention to the ideal timing, extent and impact of publicity. We should strengthen our ability to communicate with international audiences, and have a stronger voice in the international community. We should find better ways to introduce China to the world, improve our foreign publicity strategies, and develop flagship media with greater international influence. 

The key to media competition is talent. The core of media strength is also talent. We should build a corps of journalists equipped with firm political faith, superb professionalism, a sound work ethic, and loyalty to the Party and the people. Journalists must be politically-minded, find their position in serving the overall interests of the country, be conscious of their social responsibilities, and keep reminding themselves who they serve, who they rely on, and who they are. Journalists should improve their expertise, learn more and meet more challenges, and strive to become well-rounded experts. They should improve their style of work and writing, be concentrated, observe realities, and speak truth with sincerity, so as to produce works with thought, warmth and quality. Journalists should strengthen their self-discipline, cultivate their ethical qualities, and maintain personal integrity. For our part, we should reform the employment system in press institutes, trust journalists politically, give them the space to display their talent at work, concern ourselves with their lives, and ensure that they are rewarded for their work. 

Enhancing and improving the Party's leadership over news media is the fundamental guarantee for the sound and healthy development of our publicity. Party committees at all levels should shoulder their political responsibility and exercise leadership. Leading officials should improve their ability to communicate with media, and to advocate policies, solicit public opinion, identify social conflicts, guide public sentiment, mobilize the people, and improve their work. 

* Main points of the speech at the Seminar on the Party's Media Work.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)