August 23, 2011 Author: Troy Source: Science and Technology News
The annual BIRTV opened as scheduled, with the BIRTV 2011 thematic conference held at the Beijing International Hotel at 9 AM on August 23. As in previous years, the venue was packed with attendees from across the country and even abroad. Unlike previous years, this year's BIRTV thematic conference featured presentations not from leaders of the National Radio and Television Administration, but from leaders of the Central Three Networks. Wang Gengnian, the director of China International Broadcasting Station, was the first to present, reporting on the international station's strategic thinking and exploratory practices regarding new media. Wang Xiaohui, the deputy director of China National Radio, discussed the innovative choices facing radio stations under pressure. Following that, He Zong, the deputy director of China Central Television, reported on the strategic considerations of CCTV in the era of full media. Zhang Haitao, deputy director of the National Radio and Television Administration, attended the conference and presented awards to the BIRTV winners.
It is somewhat regrettable that the author has not heard a response from the National Radio and Television Administration regarding the industry hotspots over the past six months, such as the integration of three networks, IPTV, internet television, and mobile television.
The reports presented by the leaders of the three major central media outlets focus on the most pressing issue in the industry—how traditional media can respond to new media. The transformation strategy of the International Broadcasting Station is undoubtedly the most resolute and thorough, particularly noteworthy this year. In January, the International Station established CIBN, which includes online video, internet television, IPTV, mobile television, and news websites, marking the beginning of a comprehensive transformation journey. Since 2005, the International Station has been transitioning from a radio station to a full media entity.
The key difference between the International Station's new media strategy and that of other traditional media in the country is its determination; CIBN is not merely a new media department of the International Station, nor is it a simple response. CIBN aims to build a modern, comprehensive, and innovative international media platform. Over the next five years, CIBN will leverage its rich linguistic, talent, and media resources to establish itself as a globally influential flagship of international media, with the International Station's largest business, CRI International Broadcasting, being integrated into CIBN.
In April of this year, the International Station's internet television platform was completed through collaboration and capital operations, passing the acceptance by the National Radio and Television Administration, and is set to be officially launched soon. It is foreseeable that CIBN will fully transition to new media with internet television as its breakthrough point. The new media philosophy and practices of the International Station are indeed resolute and thorough, leading the way rather than being caught in a web of contemplation.
He Zongjiu, the Deputy Director of China Central Television, reported on the theme of the challenges posed by new media and how television stations can respond to the challenges of the all-media era. I carefully listened to Director He’s report, and the biggest difference from the international station is that CCTV is still in a state of anxious contemplation regarding how to address the challenges of new media. CCTV is still pondering this issue and has not yet reached a consensus or mature opinion. Although CCTV has recognized and contemplated new media, as the leader of traditional Chinese television, new media does not pose a significant threat, and there is not an urgent need to implement new media strategies. Director He did not mention CNTV at all in his report on all media, leaving one to wonder how colleagues at CNTV feel about this. This precisely reflects the differences between CCTV and the international station; the core of Director Wang Gengnian's report was CIBN rather than CRI, while Director He’s report focused on CCTV rather than CNTV. To some extent, CNTV is merely an ancillary department for CCTV's new media efforts, and it is certainly not the direction CCTV intends to take for transformation. CCTV's dominance has hindered its strategic thinking and practice regarding new media, creating a gap in both strategic contemplation and practice compared to the international station.
Wang Xiaohui, the deputy director of China National Radio, also focused on new media in his report. In addition to broadcasting, the central station has developed a good mobile station, a solid online radio, and a news website. However, it still has shortcomings in video content, and there doesn't seem to be any strategic planning in this area.
Looking at this year's thematic report meetings, traditional broadcasting and television in China have made varying degrees of reflection and response to the challenges posed by new media. The concept of "full media" may become widespread throughout the industry after BIRTV. Compared to the more flexible responses from local cable network companies, dominant television broadcasting institutions have unanimously adopted the "full media" strategy. While this all-encompassing yet vaguely defined concept serves as an excellent development strategy, merely playing with concepts to impress stakeholders will not advance the broadcasting industry. It is hoped that "full media" does not become like NGB, turning into a "basket" that holds everything. Under the demands of the market and users, it is essential to utilize new technologies to solidly improve content, channels, and transformations as foundational work.