Time to change
"The diversification of social life and globalization of information communication have gradually converted the public from passive and negative information receivers to interactive participants in a broader and deeper range of information exchanges. Weibo is a perfect example of this." said Liu Yannan, professor at the CUC.
The current TV industry is flooded with entertainment shows. The younger generation takes it for granted that they can relax and amuse themselves after work.
One netizen expressed his view on the first brand of Chinese news programs: "Its obligation is just reporting the news. So they tell us the 'five Ws' (who, what, when, where, and why). That is fair enough."
In the opinion of Liu, TV news program producers must look for breakthroughs in terms of approachability and modernity.
During Yang Weiguang's term at the top position of CCTV, the anchors of Xinwen Lianbo were assigned to interview the grassroots to build connections to the audience and make up for their "solemnity defect."
After the Dan Chun appearance, cultural news reports about a movie called "Love" and the Chinese version of musical "Mamma Mia" did reach its original goal of pleasing the hungry-for-fun group.
"Because of its special function as a declaration of the official attitudes, the reform of Xinwen Lianbo will most likely stay the same on the surface, like its speaking tones and packages, far from concrete content. Though, it is still a noteworthy step," said Dr. Xu Fan at CUC.
Merely a facelift
CCTV has been carrying out a series of reforms to meet the market demands. Xinwen Lianbo is the only one moving at a slow tempo.
Responding to the debate over an entirely new version of Xinwen Lianbo, insiders at CCTV claimed it was undergoing a "slight modification" rather than it being a "changing version."
"Content should be the core of reform," said Professor Zhan Jiang of Beijing Foreign Studies University. He even held the opinion that Xinwen Lianbo will be the last Chinese media to run in a new mode.
According to Dean Yu Guoming at the Public Opinion Research Institute of Renmin University, the reform should include the addition of social observation and expression of opinion, not just a change of style.
"The slight change didn't make any substantial improvement. In the long run, a lack of reform will result in self-marginalization," Yu added.
"Reforms can only be conducted step by step, due to the symbolic position of Xinwen Lianbo," said Liu Yannan.
The future of China's first news program is still in the air. It is yet unknown when the audience might get fed up with these surface changes. That is the moment Xinwen Lianbo will be challenged with the harsh problem of how to take into consideration both government publicity and market needs.
