How Public Opinion Monitoring Services Are Reshaping Chinese Media

Bibliographic Data

ID24224588
AuthorsHaiyan Wang (0000-0003-2534-6756, University of Macau), Chunyan Huang (0000-0002-3638-6166, University of Macau), Liangen Yin (0000-0003-1955-4305, Shenzhen University)
Year2026
Pages1-17
Publication date2026-06-25
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe China Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0009-4439 • E-ISSN: 1468-2648
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0305741026102483
OpenAlexW7165882587
LanguageEN
References cited17

Faced with the pressures of digital transformation, media organizations in China are undergoing a “think-tank turn,” in which Public Opinion Monitoring Services (POMS) are playing an integral role. This study uses POMS as a case to examine the digital transformation of Chinese media organizations and to explore the broader shifts in the political economy of Chinese media in the digital age. Combining in-depth interviews, fieldwork and analysis of secondary documents, this qualitative research study identifies the emergence of consulting as a “third role” of Chinese media, supplementing the traditional roles of news reporting and ideological propagation. This new role caters to the government’s need to govern the online space and manage public opinion through three primary operations: “timely firefighting” against dissident voices, “regular monitoring” of public opinion and the “periodic training” of information officials. In this context, POMS not only enable media organizations to navigate financial challenges but also significantly reshape their role and relationship with the state.

Chinese media · digital transformation of media · government-media relations · ideological propaganda · Internet governance · political economy of media · public opinion management · Journalism and Media Studies · Media Influence and Politics · Media Studies and Communication

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