The shift from traditional to new media

China's top leader Xi Jinping recently reiterated the importance of media. Talking about how to promote the "Convergence of Traditional Media and New Media", Xi said media should pay attention to both convergence and management, and ensure media convergence advances in the right direction. Besides, Xi recently visited the offices of three mainstream media outlets, stressing the urgency and significance of embracing new media.

New media have expanded across China, with Jiemian and The Paper in Shanghai, Jiupai in Central China's Hubei province, and the Cover in Southwest China's Sichuan province. They have increased their share in the market, too. The first impact of new media on the traditional media is the loss of readers, resulting in falling circulation. Consequently, advertisers have turned to new media and it is becoming increasingly difficult for publishers to survive, let alone make profits.

Moreover, readers' habits have changed in this age of new media. The old way of storytelling no longer appeals to readers and viewers. The younger generation favors mobile devices and entertaining ways of storytelling, forcing the traditional media to focus on visualization and participative reporting. Information technology devices allow readers to access information without the limits of time and space, further reducing the attractiveness of the print media.