China: A Diverse and Complex Media Landscape

With the tightening political control of media and information as well as the fast development of digital media, China's media landscape has become increasingly diverse, chaotic, and complex in recent years. Unlike Western democratic societies, Chinese news media, both online and offline, are heavily censored, although “social media have a comparatively much freer space”. This chapter provides a general introduction and a holistic picture about the ever-changing and fluid media landscape in China. In this digital age, China has a hybrid media structure shaped by digital radicalism and authoritarianism. China's new media market is a mix of state-owned, private-owned, and noninstitutional media that intertwine and compete on social media platforms. China's media policies and regulations have taken on distinctive characteristics at different phases, which are largely affected by the political views of the top leaders and the political and economic situation of the society.