State media should play due role in properly guiding public opinion

AFTER MAKING AN INSPECTION TOUR OF PEOPLE'S DAILY, Xinhua News Agency, and China Central Television on Friday, President Xi Jinping hosted a conference on the Communist Party of China's media work, and talked about how the traditional media should adapt to the changing situation brought about by social media. Xiake Island, a popular commentator on the WeChat platform says:

There was a time when newspapers and television were the only providers of information. However, today everybody can register a micro blog account and spread information faster than traditional media outlets do. Newspapers and television now react and interact with all kinds of voices emerging on social media platforms.

That in turn has created a crisis for the traditional media. Domestic media institutions that cannot adapt to the new situation continue reporting the world as they used to, which is different from the daily experiences of ordinary people. This has resulted in people's lack of trust in State-run media outlets.