China: State media merger to create propaganda giant

China has confirmed plans to merge its state television and radio stations to create a new broadcaster that will be one of the largest propaganda platforms in the world.

Chinese state media reported the merger of China Central Television (CCTV), China Radio International and China National Radio under a single network to be named Voice of China.

The goal of the new platform will be to “guide hot social issues, strengthen and improve public opinion, push multimedia integration, strengthen international communication and tell good China stories,” according to a notice published by Xinhua, China’s official news agency, on Wednesday.

The new platform’s main responsibilities will be to “publicise Communist party theories, guidelines and policies” and “strengthen international broadcasting capacities”, according to an announcement in party mouthpiece People’s Daily.

The merger, reports the Financial Times, is part of a broader government restructuring approved during an annual meeting of China’s rubber stamp parliament this month. The move is also one of the most substantial in a series of state media reshuffles as China looks to create a national news champion that can compete globally with western news outlets.

Full Content: Financial Times

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