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Mass media in China
The mass media in the People's Republic of China primarily consists of television, newspapers, radio, and magazines. Since the start of the 21st century, the Internet has also emerged as an important form of mass media and is under the direct supervision and control of the government of the People's Republic of China and ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Media in China is strictly controlled and censored by the CCP, with the main agency that oversees the nation's media being the Central Propaganda Department of the CCP. The largest media organizations, including the People's Daily, the Xinhua News Agency, and the China Media Group, are all controlled by the CCP.
Before the founding of the PRC in 1949, mass media in China was diverse, and less centralized. During the Republican era (1912–1949), the media played a big role in political discussion, intellectual debate, and cultural ideals. While censorship still was prevalent, the press landscape remained more varied than under Mao.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 and until the 1980s, almost all media outlets in mainland China have been state-run. State media adheres to the concept of "politicians running the newspapers". Privately owned media outlets only began to emerge at the onset of the reform and opening up, although state media continue to hold significant market share. All media continues to follow regulations imposed by the Central Propaganda Department of the CCP on subjects considered taboo by the CCP, including but not limited to the legitimacy of the party, pro-democracy movements, human rights in Tibet, the persecution of Uyghur people, pornography, and the banned religious topics, such as the Dalai Lama and Falun Gong. Under the general secretaryship of Xi Jinping, propaganda in media has become more prevalent and homogeneous. All journalists are required to study Xi Jinping Thought to maintain their press credentials. Hong Kong, which has maintained a separate media ecosystem than mainland China, is also witnessing increasing self-censorship.
Reporters Without Borders consistently ranks the PRC very poorly on media freedoms in their annual releases of the World Press Freedom Index, labeling the Chinese government as having "the sorry distinction of leading the world in repression of the Internet". As of 2025[update], the PRC ranked 178 out of 180 nations on the World Press Freedom Index.
In both the Yan'an era of the 1930s and the early 1950s, the CCP encouraged grassroots journalism in the form "worker-peasant correspondents," an idea originating from the Soviet Union.
In 1957, during the Anti-Rightist Campaign, Mao Zedong put forward the concept of "politicians running the newspapers". Mao said that "the writing of articles, and especially lead editorials, must be responsible to the overall interests of the party, united closely with the political situation," continuing by saying "this is what is meant by politicians running the newspapers".
During the early period (1966–1968) of the Cultural Revolution, freedom of the press in China was at its peak. Independent political groups could publish broadsheets and handbills, as well as leaders' speeches and meeting transcripts which would normally have been considered highly classified. During those years, several Red Guard organizations operated independent printing presses to publish newspapers, articles, speeches, and big-character posters. Media during this time was dominated by the Two Newspapers and One Journal, referring to the People's Daily, People's Liberation Army Daily and Red Flag.
Mobile film units brought Chinese cinema to the countryside and were crucial to the standardization and popularization of cultural during this period, particularly including revolutionary model operas. During the Cultural Revolution's early years, mobile film teams traveled to rural areas with news reels of Mao meeting with Red Guards and Tiananmen Square parades, where they were welcomed ceremoniously. These news reels became known as hong bao pian ("red treasure films"), analogous to how the Little Red Books were dubbed hong bao shu ("red treasure books").
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Mass media in China
The mass media in the People's Republic of China primarily consists of television, newspapers, radio, and magazines. Since the start of the 21st century, the Internet has also emerged as an important form of mass media and is under the direct supervision and control of the government of the People's Republic of China and ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Media in China is strictly controlled and censored by the CCP, with the main agency that oversees the nation's media being the Central Propaganda Department of the CCP. The largest media organizations, including the People's Daily, the Xinhua News Agency, and the China Media Group, are all controlled by the CCP.
Before the founding of the PRC in 1949, mass media in China was diverse, and less centralized. During the Republican era (1912–1949), the media played a big role in political discussion, intellectual debate, and cultural ideals. While censorship still was prevalent, the press landscape remained more varied than under Mao.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 and until the 1980s, almost all media outlets in mainland China have been state-run. State media adheres to the concept of "politicians running the newspapers". Privately owned media outlets only began to emerge at the onset of the reform and opening up, although state media continue to hold significant market share. All media continues to follow regulations imposed by the Central Propaganda Department of the CCP on subjects considered taboo by the CCP, including but not limited to the legitimacy of the party, pro-democracy movements, human rights in Tibet, the persecution of Uyghur people, pornography, and the banned religious topics, such as the Dalai Lama and Falun Gong. Under the general secretaryship of Xi Jinping, propaganda in media has become more prevalent and homogeneous. All journalists are required to study Xi Jinping Thought to maintain their press credentials. Hong Kong, which has maintained a separate media ecosystem than mainland China, is also witnessing increasing self-censorship.
Reporters Without Borders consistently ranks the PRC very poorly on media freedoms in their annual releases of the World Press Freedom Index, labeling the Chinese government as having "the sorry distinction of leading the world in repression of the Internet". As of 2025[update], the PRC ranked 178 out of 180 nations on the World Press Freedom Index.
In both the Yan'an era of the 1930s and the early 1950s, the CCP encouraged grassroots journalism in the form "worker-peasant correspondents," an idea originating from the Soviet Union.
In 1957, during the Anti-Rightist Campaign, Mao Zedong put forward the concept of "politicians running the newspapers". Mao said that "the writing of articles, and especially lead editorials, must be responsible to the overall interests of the party, united closely with the political situation," continuing by saying "this is what is meant by politicians running the newspapers".
During the early period (1966–1968) of the Cultural Revolution, freedom of the press in China was at its peak. Independent political groups could publish broadsheets and handbills, as well as leaders' speeches and meeting transcripts which would normally have been considered highly classified. During those years, several Red Guard organizations operated independent printing presses to publish newspapers, articles, speeches, and big-character posters. Media during this time was dominated by the Two Newspapers and One Journal, referring to the People's Daily, People's Liberation Army Daily and Red Flag.
Mobile film units brought Chinese cinema to the countryside and were crucial to the standardization and popularization of cultural during this period, particularly including revolutionary model operas. During the Cultural Revolution's early years, mobile film teams traveled to rural areas with news reels of Mao meeting with Red Guards and Tiananmen Square parades, where they were welcomed ceremoniously. These news reels became known as hong bao pian ("red treasure films"), analogous to how the Little Red Books were dubbed hong bao shu ("red treasure books").