MEDIA SHAKE-UP IN CHINA

In a statement suggesting that a shakeup in China’s media structure is in the works, President Xi Jinping has announced plans to create new media groups that will "integrate traditional and new media," the state-run Xinhua wire service reported today (Tuesday). Xi’s statement was perhaps intentionally unclear. Xinhua quoted him as saying, "Integration should be supported by technology and follow the rules of news communication and laws governing the development of new media." Western news reports indicated that it was significant because it came less than two months after a corruption investigation involving a dozen editors and reporters at China’s CCTV broadcasting company was launched and a crackdown on "rumor-mongering" on Chinese social-media sites began. Under new rules announced two weeks ago, bloggers are barred from publishing political news and comment without first obtaining permission to do so.