Editor's note
We, from "there is a medium in life" to "living in a medium" to "medium is life", life is constantly defined by the media.
Media, from PCs, the Internet, to the mobile Internet, to the intelligent Internet of Things, communication is constantly defined by technology.
Where is the direction of the wind in the midst of change and immutability? The 2023 China New Media Conference, which is being held in Changsha, may provide many answers.
On July 12, the 2023 China New Media Conference was held in Changsha, Hunan Province. (Photo by Red Network Moment News Reporter Zhu Liping)
Ten years ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important directive to "accelerate the integrated development of traditional media and emerging media".
In the past decade, the wave of media convergence has continued to emerge, the pace of content innovation has not stopped, the speed of technological iteration has become faster and faster, and it has increasingly become a disruptive force.
The media is a "weather vane" for social development and a "recorder" for historical progress. At present, how to view the "record" left by the development of media integration in the past decade? Facing the future, where is the "wind direction" and "tide letter" of media development?
As a well-known scholar in the field of journalism, Zhang Zhi'an, a professor at the School of Journalism of Fudan University, is one of the observers and watchers.
On the occasion of the opening of the 2023 China New Media Conference, the Red Network Moment News reporter interviewed Zhang Zhi'an and made a dialogue on the current and future of media integration, thinking deeply in Q&A, observation and thinking, discernment and analysis, and striving to provide a new context for clarifying the history, reality and future of media development.
In the past decade, the three explorations of the mainstream media have been fruitful
Red Network Moment News Reporter:
Ten years ago, "new media" was a new word, and "media integration" was also a fresh and even advanced concept. Over the past decade, everyone's cognition and definition of new media and media integration have been constantly changing, can you sort it out again with your observations?
Zhang Zhian:
The new and the old are relative, and every new thing that appears is relative to the old. For example, when radio first appeared, newspapers became old media, and radio was new media; When television first appeared, television became a new medium; So when the Internet first appeared, the Internet was a new media, but now we go to see that the PC, the Internet has become old media, and the mobile Internet has become new media; However, in the past decade of the mobile Internet, we have seen the intelligent Internet of Things, and the intelligent Internet of Things has become a new media.
Therefore, the continuous alternation of the new and the old reminds us that as media people or communicators, we must always pay attention to the latest changes in technology, embrace new media forms, perceive new communication laws, and embrace the iteration of communication models brought about by the new technological revolution.
Red Network Moment News Reporter:
Since 2014, media convergence has been elevated to the height of the national strategy. For the media, integration is the way to development, and without integration, there is no development. Mainstream media, including the Red Network, have made many explorations in the past decade, in your opinion, what results have been achieved?
Zhang Zhian:
According to my observations, in this critical decade, the mainstream media has mainly explored three aspects and achieved considerable results.
The first is process reengineering. The most intuitive and main thing is the construction of the central kitchen. Mainstream media distribute to the mobile Internet, emphasizing mobile first. For example, first send a small screen, and then send a large screen; First send pictures and news, then publish special reports, in-depth reports, and first contribute to the central kitchen, and then distribute them on major platforms, forming a process reengineering. The process of reengineering is an important practice of digital transformation.
The second is form innovation. In the past, it was picture to picture, text to text, audio to audio, and video to video, but now mainstream media will break the media restrictions and integrate and spread various forms of content such as graphics, video, data, interaction, H5, and short video live broadcast. This means that the interweaving of media and the disappearance of boundaries, various forms can be reported or even superimposed, but this is only the external of media integration, and the internal of media integration is the best way to choose.
For example, presenting a concert is nothing more than picture plus music, and sound is more important; A thoughtful and opinionated lecture, then slides and posters will present the theme; Present a burst of scene, nothing works better than a live stream or a short video. Therefore, in addition to the diversity of forms, media integration also means that the best form is the best form, that is, the best form is really selected to present.
The third is channel construction. This channel is actually an independent and controllable platform, and for most mainstream media, it is client construction. The construction of self-owned channels does not mean giving up the super Internet platform, so most mainstream media use high-quality content and matrix accounts on the platform for distribution, so as to achieve an effective reach or distribution between independent and controllable client platforms and high-quality, massive, and widely reached social platforms.
Shortcomings: The improvement of the three aspects is very urgent
Red Network Moment News Reporter:
These past explorations have been fruitful, but are there still shortcomings? Or where should efforts be made?
Zhang Zhian:
Now, I think there are three areas that are very urgent.
The first is the improvement of the application effect of technology. Mainstream media cannot do research and development of intelligent technology, but the application of intelligent technology is very important, so the media should think about how to accelerate the application of new technologies and explore application scenarios in various media. For example, smart anchors or digital humans, or virtual anchors, there are a lot of media in use, but just to show and tell everyone that I have this, but it has not really entered the normal use. We see that some media still turn it into automatic broadcasting of financial news and 24-hour broadcasting, combining digital people and intelligent anchors and financial news news broadcasting, which is a good application scenario.
The second is the improvement of business liquidity capabilities. For example, now the media knows to make short videos, but how to monetize short videos to make money? Some media outlets are doing well with short video tourism, but they are only looking for products to operate. Achieving commercial monetization is whether the media can find a sustainable profit model to promote new development, so commercial monetization is a particularly big challenge for the media. Although we say that the mainstream media go to the market, many media still basically follow government procurement, and a lot of revenue depends on undertaking government projects.
If the sources of income of the media are not diversified enough, and still mainly rely on the traditional model to make money, the integrated development of the media will lose its source of vitality. I believe that the media now need to make money from businesses other than conventional business under the premise of ensuring the completion of existing tasks, and create a reasonable business model to achieve monetization, so as to provide a steady stream of momentum for the development of media integration.
The third is to improve the effectiveness of communication guidance. It is easy to get into the eyes and ears, but how to get into the brain and heart? For the media, the issue of advocacy effectiveness is challenging. The practical effect of public opinion guidance is to truly strengthen the public's love and identification with the ruling party, strengthen the public's recognition of the government's credibility, and strengthen the public's identification and belonging to the city.
Master the relationship between the old and the new
Red Network Moment News Reporter:
Mr. Yan Fu said that unless it is new, it cannot be advanced, and if it is not old, it cannot be maintained.
Zhang Zhian:
This is very important, new and old are always relative, today new may become old tomorrow. Therefore, the transition between the old and the new is also very important. Communication professionals need to think about the shape of technology and the way of connection between the old and the new, but what remains the same? I think what doesn't change is the core of the profession, let's say, our truthful, objective, and accurate records.
Of course, the form of objective expression may not be the same as in the past. Objectivity in the past is a relatively objective reporting stance and method; Today's objectivity is more of an objective value or angle, but the form of expression may be subjective, with a stronger sense of introduction and stronger emotional attributes. Therefore, we say that what has changed is the form of communication and the way of connection, and what has not changed is the professional core, public spirit, and public value. This public value is the transcendence of facts, the imminence of truth, the satisfaction of public knowledge, the promotion of public reason, and the defense of public interests. Therefore, we need to grasp this internal relationship between the old and the new.
Regarding media iteration, I always like to use three sentences, the first sentence "there is a medium in life", the second sentence "life in the medium", and the third sentence "the medium is life".
"There is a medium in life", this medium is mainstream media such as newspapers, radio and television websites, it is the intermediary of our social connection, and the most important window and carrier for the construction of social reality, or space.
The medium of "living in the medium" is mainly mobile phones and the mobile Internet behind them. Around 2010, especially in the decade after the accelerated development of the mobile Internet in 2012, we saw that human beings moved from "living with a medium" to "living in a medium", that is, a deeply mediated society behind mobile phones, or a networked society.
The metaverse that has been very hot in the past year or two, including the current large model, ChatGPT, including the Internet of Things brought by 5G, is actually more about the real and virtual boundaries being broken, people being dataized, and then everything being mediated.
The dataization of people, the mediation of things, and the immersive interactive information scenarios brought by the metaverse have triggered a lot of discussion in the academic circles. For example, dialogue is a platform, or an interactive platform, or a human-machine symbiosis scenario. Everyone is constantly thinking about what kind of media technology iteration will be "living in media" in the future. There is now a saying called "medium is life". "Media is life" refers to mediation, media-based connection, data-based intelligent connection, and also based on the integration of the real and virtual boundaries of the medium, forming the essence of the lifestyle itself and life interaction. We are currently in a transition from "living in the medium" to "medium is living". It's also a constant reminder of how important it is to understand the inner laws of technology iteration.
What exactly is the next generation platform? At present, there is a lot of discussion in the academic circles and the industry that the next generation platform may break the carrier of the current super APP, and then move towards various scenarios, such as entertainment scenes, game scenes, learning scenes, travel scenarios, human-computer symbiosis, human-computer interaction, and immersive experience in different scenarios.
Therefore, it has been suggested that what may emerge is that in the future, in immersive interaction scenarios, "dialogue is the medium". "Life as a medium" may go a step further and move towards a focus on "dialogue as a medium". However, it is still only a discussion in the industry, and careful judgment is needed.
Technology is becoming a disruptive force
Red Network Moment News Reporter:
In a recent interview with Chao News, you said that media convergence is generally divided into two paths, the mediaization of the platform and the platformization of the media, one is driven by technological innovation and the other is driven by content innovation. What kind of balance do you think should be maintained between cultivating new momentum from technology and insisting on intensive content optimization of original momentum?
Zhang Zhian:
We say that technology is more of a form, and content is more of a core, so in theory, we say that form and content are combined, and the form should serve the content, and the content and form fit. Of course, this is a traditional understanding, that is, we are talking about technology, technology for content distribution. But today's technology is becoming a disruptive force.
A few days ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected in Jiangsu and came to the Purple Mountain Laboratory to investigate, emphasizing that now that information technology is developing rapidly, disruptive technologies may appear at any time, and it is necessary to take a realistic and solid innovation path and make meritorious contributions to achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement.
At this time, when we understand technology, we can not only understand from the perspective of form, but also from the perspective of logic. How are the logic of technology, the logic of the platform and the logic of professionalism intertwined? We must not only treat technology as a tool, but also as an ecological reengineering of the entire industry. It is very critical to have the awareness of the reconstruction of communication logic and the reconstruction of communication laws, but in fact, many media are not ready for this.
Many people's understanding of technology, more still in its characterization, but also at the level of application tools, in fact, to truly grasp the technology, it is necessary to understand today's intelligent media technology. For example, deep interaction between various scenarios, future human-machine coexistence, symbiosis, etc. We feel that the deep application of intelligent technology and the reengineering of a deep communication logic will be more important, so a deep understanding of technology is too important for today's media people.
Most media cannot solve technical problems by themselves, and only the application of algorithm recommendations can achieve accurate reach. In this way, evaluating the effect through data is more scientific than evaluating the effect without data, but you cannot be completely obsessed with data, and completely obsessed with data may become a "title party", and you may be data for data. We need to value data, but go beyond being obsessed with data itself. From this point of view, technology can provide a lot of help to achieve this.
All new media conferences have responded to the needs of national strategies
Red Network Moment News Reporter:
The China New Media Conference can be described as a window to showcase the wave of new media integration and development in the mainland, and this year is the fifth edition. From "Enhance the 'Four Forces', Abide by the Right Innovation, and Produce More Fusion Boutiques Loved by the Masses" in 2018 to "Tolerance is Great, Deep and Far-reaching" in 2019, "Keeping the Right Cohesion, Innovation and Inclusion" in 2020, and then to "Ten Years of Integration and Reaching Ahead" in 2023, what have you read from the changes in the themes of previous conferences?
Zhang Zhian:
In general, I think it is a combination of virtual and real, virtual and real, just like the topic of media convergence that we are discussing today. These themes are closely responding to what are the biggest challenges facing the media in the transformation of today's era, especially through the China New Media Conference, which is more about responding to national strategies and national needs. The state needs the media to enhance its own strength and enhance the influence and credibility of public opinion of the media, which is the fundamental driving force for the development of media integration.
The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pointed out that "strengthen the construction of the all-media communication system and shape the new pattern of mainstream public opinion". I think the core goal of media integration is to serve the construction of a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and leadership. As a media, we must not forget our original intention, keep our mission in mind, and forge ahead. I think that the previous China New Media conferences have been constantly responding to the needs of the national development strategy, which is the responsibility and mission of the media.
Media should be embedded in digital cities to serve national governance
Red Network Moment News Reporter:
From the development of the Internet to the giant wave of the PC side, to the user's switch to mobile phones, WeChat Weibo in the 2G/3G era occupies our lives. The advent of 4G and the fire of Douyin in 2017 created the era of short videos. Now that we have entered the 5G era, what is your prediction for the next decade of new media development? Which areas are likely to become new tracks for the development of media convergence?
Zhang Zhian:
That's a good question, but let's be honest, predicting ten years is too long because the technology of the media is changing rapidly. For example, at the beginning of the metaverse, we discussed metaverse application scenarios, but when the metaverse scenario was not yet mature, ChatGPT came out again. So I think it's important that we maintain a high level of vigilance and openness to technological changes.
So, what is the next direction for the development of media convergence? I think the most important thing is that the media should be embedded in the digital city and serve the national governance. For media to become an important carrier for connecting digital cities and digital life, they must occupy an important position and occupy important spaces in different life scenarios, otherwise they will become more and more marginalized. Therefore, I have always advocated that the development of the end should be integrated with the media end and the digital life end and the urban service side. For example, in Hunan, I particularly advocate the running path of the "My Changsha" app. It is the support of the government behind the stage, and the media comes to the front to provide urban services.
Of course, there are challenges. For example, provincial-level digital service platforms, as well as integrated platforms such as WeChat Life or Alipay, are already connected to many functions. But in any case, from the perspective of the collection of the city side, this combination between urban services and media content supply, mainstream media should be deeply embedded in urban life while disseminating content, so that citizens can look at information and use services to see information, which is very future.
What does it mean to serve national governance? It is in recent years that the state has vigorously promoted the think tank of the media, and we can see that the function of the media to provide information today has weakened, the channels for the audience to obtain information are very diverse, and the mainstream media is often not dominant. My supervisor, Professor Li Liangrong of Fudan University, said that newspapers should move from "information media" to "meaning media", and this "meaning" means that they must have stronger content, viewpoint and ideological value. Therefore, in recent years, the trend of think tank of media is very obvious, that is, the development and reform from media think tank to think tank media. The transformation from media think tanks to think tanks is mainly how media can be embedded in local development and national governance, and provide greater ideological value, information value and service value for serving the revitalization and development of cities and provinces. Whether it is news release, public opinion guidance, public opinion monitoring and crisis management and communication, as well as the development of the cultural tourism industry and the industry going global, the media plays a very key role.
Speaking of international communication, we used to think that telling Chinese stories well is very important, but international communication is not only about telling Chinese stories well, but also about the internationalization of the service industry, and digging its value is the embodiment of the value of media think tanks, so that the value of media can provide more empowerment for national economic and social development.
On January 10, 2023, the signing ceremony of the strategic cooperation of the Red Network New Media Metaverse Project and the launch ceremony of the 11.0 version of the Red Network Moment News APP were held.
Red Network Moment News Reporter:
As you said, the integrated development of media needs to be deeply embedded in the needs of national strategy and local development, so does it also mean that mainstream media in different places need to add coordinate parameters in line with local development in the process of integrated development?
Zhang Zhian:
What I just said is that the media should enter urban life or urban services, serve local and national development. Behind these two functions is a very profound hint, or law, that requires media exploration and practice, in fact, there is no standard answer to media integration in China.
This also means that all localities must explore and adapt measures to local conditions and develop according to the actual conditions of each place. If there is a standard answer to media convergence, it is enough to copy those successful cases, but in fact, you will find that the phased success of media in different places is differentiated, so from the specific operation model and development model, there is no standard answer for media convergence.
But what is very interesting is that from the perspective of commonality, we will find that although the specific operation mode is different, all the media that have done a good job of integration and development are nothing more than three major elements, namely, the attention of the "number one", the injection of local resources, and the passionate struggle and unremitting exploration of media reformers and media practitioners.
Among these three elements, the courage of local "leaders" to integrate resources, or the courage to reform, is crucial. But at the same time, it is equally important to stimulate the vitality of media personnel and practitioners as the main body of reform. The reform of "Zhejiang Propaganda", the launch of the communication brain, and the differential positioning of Chao News and Z TV client are all very ambitious explorations. However, the stability of this boldness has a lot to do with the vitality of the media organization itself, so the combination of courage and vitality to form a benign and upward mechanism can make the development of media integration stable and far-reaching.