Research on the transformation of news media industries in China and Russia in the era of intelligent media / Исследование трансформации индустрии новостных медиа в Китае и России в эпоху интеллектуальных медиа

Булгарова Белла Ахмедовна ORCID: 0000-0001-6005-2505 кандидат филологических наук доцент, кафедра массовых коммуникаций, Российский университет дружбы народов им. П. Лумумбы 117198, Россия, г. Москва, ул. Миклухо-Маклая, 6 Bulgarova Bella Akhmedovna PhD in Philology Associate professor of the Department of Mass Communications, RUDN University named after Patrice Lumumba 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str.6. bulgarova-ba@rudn.ru Другие публикации этого автора     Чэнь Фэнлань ORCID: 0009-0007-2297-6126 аспирант, кафедра массовых коммуникаций, Российский университет дружбы народов им. П. Лумумбы 117198, Россия, г. Москва, ул. Миклухо-Маклая, 6 Chen Fenglan Postgraduate student, Department of Mass Communications, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after P. Lumumba 6 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117198, Russia 1042238094@rudn.ru Цзюй Ян ORCID: 0009-0009-3422-8402 магистр; кафедра массовых коммуникаций; Российский университет дружбы народов им. П. Лумумбы 117198, Россия, г. Москва, ул. Миклухо-Маклая, 6 Ju Yang Graduate student, Department of Mass Communications, P. Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 6 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117198, Russia 1032228405@rudn.ru

Чинённая Тамара Юрьевна ORCID: 0000-0002-2621-6606 кандидат филологических наук доцент; кафедра национальных и федеративных отношений; Российская академия народного хозяйства и государственной службы при Президенте Российской Федерации 119571, Россия, г. Москва, ул. Пр. Вернадского, 82, стр.1. Chinennaya Tamara Yurievna PhD in Philology Associate Professor, Department of National and Federal Relations, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation 82 Vernadsky Ave., building 1, Moscow, 119571, Russia. t.chinennaya@mail.ru

1. A theoretical description of a research question

Background Analysis of the Transformation of the media industry of Chinese and Russian

The rapid pace of technological change is astounding, with discussions shifting from the transformation of traditional media and media convergence to the transformation of new media into intelligent media. News media are facing significant challenges, and transformation in media industry is imminent. We are currently in the midst of the big data era, which began in 2013, and have been riding the wave of big data development for a decade. Today, the focus is not only on data analysis but also on the decision-making process behind it. This includes capturing user preferences, retaining users, and creating greater value. Intelligence is synonymous with this era, and every aspect of daily life is pursuing it. If a platform or item lacks intelligence, it will be instantly eliminated by this era. As an industry that advances with the times, it is the mission of news media to change with them.

The purpose of this research is to comparatively analyse the development trajectory of the media industry in Russia and China.
For this purpose, the authors have chosen the following methodological approaches: comparative analysis, conceptual analysis of digital media of the modern era in both countries, statistical data method and survey results. This comprehensive approach is able to reflect the dynamics of the development of the Chinese and Russian media industries and further vision. The study also takes into account the latest trends in AI and digitalisation.

The intelligent media Age is an advanced version of the Big Data Era. It integrates the entire information system through the combination of powerful Internet technology and the Internet of Things. News is produced and disseminated through the computational functions of big data, virtual reality, and other technologies. The prominence of intelligent media is increasing as artificial intelligence has a greater impact on human life. This process has been ongoing, but the label of intelligent media is becoming more prominent. Intelligent media is characterized by its ability to connect people with people, people with things, and things with things through any substance. The popularisation of artificial intelligence has enabled human-machine interaction and symbiosis. Currently, the main way of human-machine symbiosis is through the interaction between people and smartphones. In the future, more convenient sensors and chips may emerge, leading to a higher degree of human-machine fusion. Another characteristic of the intelligent media era is the ability of self-learning. The maturity of intelligent media is demonstrated by its ability to meet human needs through learning and evolution. In the future, news may be generated and reported automatically, but the possibilities are endless. ChatGPT was launched in November 2022 and has had a significant impact on the text assignment industry. Some people believe that media workers may lose their jobs due to ChatGPT's ability to quickly generate high-level articles based on user requirements. However, it is important to note that ChatGPT is a tool that can assist reporters and editors in their work. It is not a replacement for human creativity and critical thinking. This technology can enhance the efficiency of journalists, compensating for professional shortcomings. However, it may also stifle the creativity of media personnel, reducing them to mere keywords. The integration of artificial intelligence into the news media industry is undoubtedly significant, particularly in the international media sector, where it can address a wide range of challenges. The integration of artificial intelligence into the news media industry is undoubtedly significant, particularly in the international media sector, where it can address a wide range of challenges. For instance, Sino-Russian media cooperation faces challenges such as cultural differences, language barriers, statistical difficulties, public opinion backlash, and other issues. The international social environment is unpredictable, and conflicts between countries are increasingly prominent. As the world becomes more multipolar, international cooperation is becoming closer, and the need for cross-cultural exchanges is growing. Improving the quality of media cooperation between China and Russia is crucial not only for their bilateral relations but also for promoting global peace. The media serves as an effective tool for communicating a country's culture, and with the rise of social media, it has become easier to access information from abroad. Official or mainstream media outlets from both countries have established their own social media accounts to disseminate their foreign propaganda content. In an international context, the effectiveness of communication is closely linked to the level of visual aids used in news media. For instance, AI anchors, VR, video animation, and audio are all attention-grabbing tools. This is particularly important given the challenges of cross-cultural communication.

Media cooperation and exchanges between China and Russia have entered a new era. To face the future of media intelligence, innovation is the only way forward, and cooperation is an inevitable choice. China-Russia media cooperation has always been a part of the strategic cooperation between the two countries. This cooperation is in line with the current trend of digital media transformation and aims to improve the ability to cooperate and innovate ways of collaboration. The ultimate goal is to build bridges for exchanges between the people of both countries. The main common denominator of Russian and Chinese media is the nationalization of media ownership. China's media has always been state-led, state-audited and gate-keeping, and has never deviated from serving the basic interests of the people. In contrast, Russia's news media has undergone several changes. For a period of time, it was privatized and owned by Western capitals. However, after Vladimir Putin became president in 2000, he made significant efforts to rectify the national media market and regain control of the media discourse. As a result, the media returned to a state of nationalization. Therefore, the two countries have a cordial relationship in terms of media cooperation at the political level. In response to some Western media's slander, smear, and distortion of China and Russia, the media of both countries have unitedly confronted them and pushed the world's media development towards objectivity, truthfulness, and openness. At the national level, China and Russia have signed several cooperation agreements. In 2016-2017, they organized the China-Russia 'Year of Media Exchanges' program, which elevated media cooperation between the two countries to the national level. The Xinhua News Agency of China and TASS news agency of Russia jointly developed an AI news anchor, which made its debut during the 70th anniversary of the establishment of friendly diplomatic relations between the two countries. In 2017, the China-Russia Headlines App was jointly developed by China and Russia. It integrates the resources of mobile APP, WAP, PC, WeChat, VK and other social platforms. The app covers graphic information, mobile radio, live video broadcast, online translation, news, and other media. The mobile media platform integrating the resources of the mobile application's APP, the web platform's WAP side, the PC side, WeChat, VK, and other social platforms is a joint venture between China and Russia. China and Russia have mentioned plans to establish a media think tank. On 22 March 2023, President Xi Jinping visited Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin. During the visit, China and Russia issued the Joint Declaration of the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Collaborative Partnership in the New Era. Article 4 of the declaration clearly states that 'the two sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of media, think-tanks, publishing, social sciences, archives, literature, and art.'

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a global impact, leading to advancements in media intelligence. Following the pandemic, China's media environment has shifted towards mobile, pan-media, video, and platformization. Platformized news media has become increasingly relied upon, utilizing various forms of media such as audio, video, pictures, and links to report on the pandemic in different countries and visualize information. The internet has given rise to numerous online platforms, such as distance learning, telecommuting, live selling, fitness, entertainment, and precision medicine. It seems that there is nothing that cannot be achieved on the internet. As a result, people's lifestyles have changed, and an online reading habit has emerged. Additionally, Sino-Russian media cooperation has continued during the epidemic. Russia's Red Star TV, a state television station affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense, aired the Chinese protest documentary Wuhan Epidemic Chronicle in a live program and contacted its creators. Following the broadcast of the English-language version of the documentary, several TV stations from over a dozen countries, such as South Korea, Russia, and Italy, contacted Ryo Takeuchi to request a broadcast. The Russian media outlet 'Ryo Takeuchi' was also featured in the program ^[1]. The Russian media outlet Komsomolskaya Pravda has reported on the protests in China, including interviews with experts. This has contributed to a positive image of China among Russians. Information and data on the outbreak were shared between the two countries, and most of the data on Russian reports on the outbreak came from Chinese media. The new coronavirus pandemic has not only increased global attention towards China, but also strengthened the relationship between Chinese and Russian media. Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation, Bella Mukhabievna Cherkosova, praised the active exchange between the two countries' media. The two parties frequently host events, such as the Online Media Forum and the Russian-Chinese Television Week. Despite the epidemic, cooperation projects between the two sides have grown.

Intelligent media has emerged in response to the demands of the times, and the intelligence of Chinese and Russian news media is the result of historical evolution. The emergence of intelligent media is driven by changes in science and technology, the need for international cooperation, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The transformation of the Chinese and Russian news media industry is therefore inevitable.

2. Discussion

Transformation Path of Chinese and Russian News Media Industry in the Era of intelligent media

1. Technology-driven changes in the news media industry.

Scientific and technological innovation never ceases. In the international arena, science and technology reflect a country's capabilities. Today's world is experiencing significant changes in highly sophisticated fields such as military capabilities, aerospace, energy, and nuclear technology, as well as in soft power fields such as culture, education, and media. Innovation and development are needed in all these fields. The Internet's rapid development and the arrival of the 5G era, coupled with the increasing sophistication of artificial intelligence, have had a significant impact on various fields. The impact of 5G technology on the news media industry is significant. Its integration with the industry has become a driving force for its transformation and upgrading. The technology has had a profound effect on China's digital construction process. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the country's digital governance system. The value of building media integration continues to be highlighted, and the construction of an all-media dissemination system and new media think tanks has entered the fast lane, with a focus on 5G+ ^[2]. In 2019, during the CCTV National Day parade, China showcased its widespread use of 5G technology. Huawei, a leading provider of 5G technology, is capable of delivering over 500M of stable broadband. This technology has been widely adopted in various media and live events, resulting in reduced broadcasting costs and preparation time. The cooperation between the media of the two countries has also been gradually digitized, networked, and made more intelligent. In the age of big data, where information is produced explosively, news media occupy a prominent position in news production and dissemination, striving to attract and retain users. Technological innovation is crucial for every news media organization. Currently, news media organizations are exploring new reporting methods and enhancing user experience through the use of cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. The development of drones, sensors, big data and other technologies has revolutionized news gathering and production methods. Drones are now widely used to remotely film media events and news sites, while sensors can collect all kinds of data in real time. Additionally, big data technology helps news staff to mine and analyse data, resulting in more real-time, comprehensive and accurate news reporting.

Due to the rapid development and popularization of China's mobile internet, the number of internet news users has reached a point of saturation. As of June 2023, the number of internet news users in China reached 781 million, accounting for 72.4% of all internet users ^[3]. The speed and scope of news dissemination has increased significantly due to technological advancements, resulting in a higher demand for news among users. The trend towards digital operation, networking, and platformization of news media is increasingly evident. Digital technology is driving the transformation of news media into images, videos, music, and more. The development of the news media industry has put forward a comprehensive range of transformation requirements. User experience and interactivity are receiving more attention, aspects that traditional media cannot provide. Convergence at the technological level can be viewed as the process of unifying digital content, including verbal, aural, and visual elements, into an integrated media on the internet.

Over 80% of Russians are digitally connected by the end of 2021 and use the Internet regularly, at least once a month. Increased Russians’ use of social media parallels growth in digital media ecosystem built around Russian digital services (search engine Yandex), social networks VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, Mail.ru and messenger Telegram, its popularity has grown over the past decade. Yandex as well as global digital platforms and some popular bloggers including Journalists and lay writers have become strong competitors. As a result, since the 2020s, the Internet and social media has become a popular source of news and entertainment as well as Interpersonal/group communication in Russia ^[4]. Both VK and Telegram platforms contain multimedia elements such as photos, videos, blog posts, links to partner resources, and more. The majority of the content featuring the Komsomol Truth and Reconciliation booklet was published by the Komsomol Truth. Most of the links on Komsomolskaya Pravda's website lead to news articles. The adoption of online publishing has helped it maintain its position as Russia's largest media outlet. Komsomolskaya Pravda's website is ranked 55th in terms of the number of visitors ^[5]. In 2022, the number of internet users in Russia increased to 129 million. The number of social media users in Russia continues to grow, despite the blocking of Western sites. In 2022, the number of users increased by 4.9% to 106 million. This growth highlights the increasing role of information technology in Russian society and its institutions, including the media ^[6].

Currently, the development of news media is driven by internet technology, network infrastructure, and technology-based operation modes. The user profile has changed, and people now demand not only knowledge of news but also a satisfying experience, high degree of interaction, and a sense of speed and freshness. Therefore, the development of intelligent media is crucial for the future era.

2. Transformation of data-based operations and content production

(1) Digitalization of operations

To ensure efficient news production, a stable and secure digital network infrastructure is necessary. Media organizations are constantly improving their hardware facilities and software engineering, integrating new technologies and techniques into their existing infrastructure to create new digital products and media architecture. The construction of new digital infrastructure can facilitate a more efficient digital transformation of the media industry. This involves integrating and optimizing advantageous resources to establish genuine connections between employees, companies, and society. The ultimate goal is to streamline the entire process of news production, from creation to distribution, resulting in greater efficiency. As of September 2023, China had constructed and opened 3.189 million 5G base stations, with 737 million 5G cell phone users. Additionally, China accounts for 42% of the world's 5G standard essential patent declarations, making it the world's largest and technologically advanced network infrastructure ^[7]. Russia's network infrastructure progress is relatively weak due to several factors. However, the government is working to improve it. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Chernyshenko, there are plans to produce 1,000 domestically made 5G base stations by 2025. This will enable the rollout of 5G networks to large cities with a population of millions ^[8]. In the coming years, Russia aims to enhance its network infrastructure by overcoming various limitations. Furthermore, Russia places significant emphasis on the modernisation of traditional media platforms. To ensure the continued sustainability of traditional newspapers and periodicals, the Russian National Library has developed a 'digital newspaper calendar' (Календарь оцифрованных газет). This allows users to easily access newspapers based on their desired date, covering the period from 1703 to 2017. The portal includes newspapers from as early as January 2, 1703 ^[9]. The Russian Post has launched a pilot version of its digital publication reading service called 'Subscription Post' (почта Подписка) on 'коммерсанть'. The service already offers versions of some popular newspapers and magazines, including 'Expert', 'Amateur', 'Science and Life', 'Businessman', as well as scientific, children's, medical and other thematic publications ^[10]. In addition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Moscow Evening Post, the full version of its digitized archive is now available on Yandex, allowing users to access any information from that year through text messages ^[11]. China and Russia are cooperating in the media, and have gradually transformed into jointly establishing online media platforms and digital operations to increase user participation. From May 20 to June 5, 2019, China Central Radio and Television and the all-media platforms of the "Russia Today" international news agency ("China-Russia Headlines", CCTV News, Russia News Network, Satellite Network, etc.) simultaneously launched the main page of the all-media cross-border creative activity "Joyful China and Russia" actively interacts with mainstream social media in China and Russia such as Sina Weibo and VK, and uses cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to reach audiences in both countries. You can upload creative pictures or videos. The event aroused great attention and participation on social media in China and Russia, with a total number of clicks and interactions reaching 1.01 billion, and more than 18 million creative tribute works of various types were collected from China and Russia ^[12]. China-Russia Headlines APP is a mobile integrated media client jointly created by China Central Radio and Television and the "Russia Today" international news agency. On July 3, 2019, as the China-Russia Headlines APP celebrated its second birthday, its client downloads exceeded 6 million ^[13].

The importance of news media lies in its content output, despite the various stages of its digital operation. In the online era, where freshness and excitement are sought after, news media must cater to readers' reading and browsing habits. Currently, AI is the most appealing innovation. AI anchors are not a new concept. In 2018, China's official People's Daily introduced its AI anchor Ren Xiaorong, while China's Xinhua News Agency launched its English-language AI anchor Xin Xiaowei. Taiwan also launched its own AI anchor, Minxie. Additionally, Russian TV station Svoye TV introduced its AI anchor, Snezhana Tumanova, among others. They have become the main force in the news media industry due to their good image, clear speech, almost zero error rate, and ability to work 24/7 and appear in a variety of news scenes. Additionally, in October 2023, Surge News will launch a 24-hour live channel featuring a combination of 'real people + digital hosts', 'AI + 4K HD', and other forms, making it the first true 24-hour live media outlet in China's internet new media ^[14]. In November 2020, SMG Integrated Media Center launched a virtual secondary news anchor named 'Shen xiao ya'. The anchor has gained a significant following, with over 40,000 fans in a short period of time. Several videos have received over 100,000 views, and the total views on videos have surpassed 1.2 million. Additionally, there have been over 10,000 comments and interactions, and the news has received over one million total views ^[15].

The business model of news media is changing due to advancements in technology. Traditional media primarily rely on advertising and subscription revenue. However, in the era of intelligent media, news organizations can achieve precision marketing, content payment, and advertising revenue through data analysis, user profiling, and other technologies. According to iiMedia Research, Chinese news media users are increasingly willing to pay for news, with 69.5% of users expected to pay for reading by 2023. Among the news categories, financial news (47.7%) and legal news (40.3%) are the most preferred by users for paid subscriptions due to their functional nature. Additionally, users tend to favor financial information in video format. According to the Global Digital Subscription Report 2019 published by FIPP, an international journal federation, the number of global digital subscription users increased by close to 20 million year-on-year, indicating an upward trend in news digital media content charging compared to 2018 ^[16]. According to iiMedia Research, the knowledge payment market in China grew significantly from 2015 to 2022, with a market size of 112.65 billion yuan. It is projected to reach 280.88 billion yuan by 2025. In recent years, the business model for content payment has shifted towards the subscription system, particularly for traditional newspapers and magazines. The New York Times introduced a paywall in March 2011. According to the company's financial report, advertising revenue accounted for 29%, 22%, and 24% in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively, while subscription revenue reached 60%, 67%, and 66% in the same period ^[17]. In 2016, according to the Association of Communication Agencies of Russia (ACAR), the total the volume of advertising (excluding VAT) reached 360 billion rubles, the volume of the marketing segment services - almost 95 billion rubles. Russia is in the top 10 in terms of advertising market volume European advertising markets. Available data on the sale of newspapers and magazines, Russians’ spending on pay television and the Internet make it possible to even increase the assessment of the financial resources of the domestic media industry ^[18].

In general, news media in China and Russia reflect digital operations in various stages, including network infrastructure construction, news broadcasting methods, and overall business operation models. Digitization is a distinctive feature of the age of intelligent media.

(2) News production

Traditional news production relies primarily on professional journalists and news editors. However, in the age of intelligent media, this human-powered mode of news production has been challenged and impacted. Nowadays, many media organizations are using digital tools, software, and artificial intelligence to assist in all aspects of media production. For instance, in November 2015, China's Xinhua News Agency launched a writing robot called 'Quick Pen Xiao xin', which can complete a press release in just three to five seconds. The Southern Newspaper Industry's 'Xiao nan' is also available. Although they do not provide humanistic care or emotional expression in their manuscripts, they excel in collecting keyword-related information and organizing language. Their biggest advantage is their speed, which surpasses that of human beings in writing press releases. Efficient news production can be achieved through big data analysis and refined calculation. Artificial intelligence can track news hotspots through the network in a timely manner, identifying potential news topics and events, and quickly generating news reports. This approach can greatly reduce the pressure on journalists and improve the efficiency of news production. Therefore, the media should combine integration transformation with the development of artificial intelligence to establish new connections with individuals, industries, and society through technological empowerment. During the process of media digital transformation, news producers, production tools, and materials have all undergone changes, significantly increasing news productivity ^[19]. In today's society, the line between news producers and consumers is becoming increasingly blurred. It is important to maintain objectivity and avoid subjective evaluations, while using clear and concise language with a logical flow of information. Additionally, the language should be formal and free from biased or emotional language, and precise word choice should be used when appropriate. Finally, the text should be grammatically correct and adhere to formatting guidelines. While the content of a news piece may not have a significant impact, the readers' comments can be the most important aspect of the information. News is not just information or a scene; it is an experience that is interactive. The function of news is not only to inform and supervise, but also to facilitate dialogue and consensus ^[20]. The following cases exemplify news production during the intelligent transformation of Chinese media. Wu Hailing, director of CCTV's new product development department, stated that the AI editorial department at CCTV has implemented artificial intelligence in the collection, production, distribution, and feedback of news, creating the first ecosystem of the country's first platform for the deep integration of media and AI. In 2020, Beijing News Group's technology company launched AR integrated media smart glasses, a intelligent media tool. The glasses are equipped with collection, editing, and distribution capabilities, as well as real-time on-site video linking, live broadcasting, face recognition, simultaneous interpretation, and voice recognition. They are fully adaptable to the needs of all-media editing and can truly record the scene from the 'first viewpoint'. Brightnet has developed an intelligent publishing system that caters to the needs of its entire content production chain. The system covers article collection, content categorization, content mapping, multimedia editing, media review, network-wide distribution, and effect tracking ^[21]. Yandex is an automated service that processes and systematizes Russian news. It has been in operation since June 21, 2000. The service categorizes stories and forms a daily information picture from sources provided by Yandex's media partners. There is no human involvement in the service's work, ensuring unbiased news coverage from multiple perspectives ^[22]. In 2015, Yandex launched Yandex.Zen, a personal recommendation service that uses machine learning technology to create a content feed that is automatically adjusted to the user's interests. This is not the first time that Yandex has entered the field of news dissemination. Yandex.News, launched in 2000, is Russia's most popular news aggregation website, with more than 30 million digital news users per month. As of January 2017. Collectively, these two services drive significant traffic to Russian news media, and due to their central role in Russian news media, the Russian online news ecosystem can influence the country's news agenda. On Yandex.Zen, content is not limited to news produced by media organizations, but also includes content produced by individuals. Therefore, the themes and forms are diverse, and in addition to text, Yandex.Zen supports the publication of photos and videos. Unlike Yandex.News, Yandex.Zen is also available as a mobile app, which may partly explain its popularity ^[23]. Digital media is actively used by the audience in Russia Yandex.News and Yandex.Zen are a priority for them. Provincial readers turn to digital versions of the same municipal newspapers, mass papers and quality publications as well as numerous communities in social networks. The migrant and native metropolitan audiences prefer online digital media projects and personal channels on YouTube ^[24].

The biggest feature of news production in the smart media era is that the definition of news producers has become very vague, and everyone can edit news and produce news. The Internet and technology have provided everyone with a new news environment, and the connection between people and society has become very close. Network communication technology has fundamentally changed the nature of news production and consumption. The digitization of news not only increases the control and consumption of news by individual users, but also enables them to participate in computer-mediated activities and engage in dialogue with news producers and other users through various feedbacks. These changes further enhance participatory journalism and highlight the collaborative and collective nature of news production, with users actively participating in news through comments, discussions, etc., promoting forums, recommendation systems, social media, and personal blogs ^[25].

3. Platform development and the changing news ecology

In 2018, China's media industry underwent a strategic transformation ^[26]. Traditional media entered a critical period of transformation, and the media ecosystem became clearer with the rise of short video platforms and the implementation of important technologies. China's new media took a step towards intelligence. In order to improve interactivity with users and expand their influence, major mainstream media outlets have moved into short video platforms. In August 2019, news broadcasts officially moved onto the short video platforms Jitterbug and Shutterbug. In December 2019, CCTV news was officially stationed on the news social video pop-up site Beili Beili. During the National Day of 2019, nearly 6,000 media outlets released nearly 280,000 National Day-related video contents on microblogs. These videos received widespread attention and consumption, with an overall broadcast volume of more than 8.6 billion ^[27]. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many industries to transition to online platforms, resulting in the emergence of education apps, medical online platforms, office platforms, live broadcasting, and other industries. People's online habits have also shifted, as if their lives have suddenly moved to online platforms. This shift has also forced traditional media to adopt platform-based operations to meet user demand.

Russia has invested heavily in platform construction to strengthen and improve new media. As part of this effort, they have reorganized RIA Novosti and the Voice of Russia radio station into the international news agency 'Russia Today'. Based on the merger, we have consolidated the former press stations worldwide and established 12 news gathering and editing centers, achieving the unified collection and dissemination of information. Regarding content creation, newspapers, TV, and radio stations often reproduce information on new media platforms. The Voice of Russia broadcasts news in nearly 20 languages, providing round-the-clock and non-stop coverage.^[28] Russian mainstream media outlets, including Komsomolskaya Pravda, Arguments and Facts, and Kommersant, have initiated digital transformation by establishing their own websites and launching online and mobile versions for readers' convenience. Some have also created blogs and micro-pages to enhance their reports. The dissemination of news in Russia has been affected by the sanctions imposed by the West. Russia has increased its efforts in integrating new media and shifted to online digital operations to cope with the international influence of the West. This move allows for better communication capabilities than traditional paper media. In October 2021, China Television Station's Asia-Europe Station and the European News Television (Euronews) Russian channel cooperated to launch a localized news review column "China Panorama" to deeply promote "favorable impression communication" and display China's economic and social development achievements from multiple angles. At the same time, it accurately responded to Western public opinion doubts. The program covers about 50 million users, with a coverage rate of 38% in Russia, the official website of the partner Russia's Great Asia Television has 3.3 million unique visits per month ^[29]. The cooperation between Chinese and Russian media platforms has strong dissemination and wide coverage, which effectively resists interference from other countries.

(3) Changes in Media Ecology in the Age of intelligent media

In today's intelligent media era, the digital transformation of the news media industry is an inevitable trend. With the continuous promotion of transformation in media industry, the ecological change of news media industry is also changing. The most obvious change in the media ecosystem is the change of news media, and the path of communication has become more and more complex. Technology dominates the media ecosystem, and every great change in the media ecosystem comes from a revolutionary breakthrough in media technology. Traditionally, news was mainly disseminated through newspapers and magazines, and later developed into television and radio as the medium of dissemination. With the emergence and development of the Internet, users can view the news on the network platform, and now the mobile network provides a convenient and fast mobile news APP, people can view the news on their cell phones anytime and anywhere. Every leap forward is driven by technological advances. Changes and progress in the media have greatly increased the speed of news dissemination and coverage, news content can be disseminated in the first time through the Internet to the world, users can receive the latest news information in the first time. Moreover, the form of communication media is more diversified, the content of news dissemination is no longer limited by traditional media, and can be freely displayed through a variety of forms, such as charts, maps and other interactive content to present specific data, to better help users understand the complexity of the news content. Nowadays, with the development and application of artificial intelligence technology, many news platforms provide personalized news recommendation to news users through big data analysis, recommending news content that users may be interested in according to their news viewing habits. The positioning of media in the era of intelligent media is no longer purely news and information transmission, but as an infrastructure to join the social structure, promote the production and dissemination of news content, to assume the responsibility of mainstream media internally, and to help the country to build a national image externally. This is an era where everything is media, and the media ecosystem is no longer purely about producing and distributing news. The media ecosystem is inextricably linked to the social, entertainment, and commercial ecosystems, and many things can be interpreted and publicized as news, even if it's an advertisement. This is our current media ecosystem.

3. Discussion of the results and future prospects

Challenges and Prospects for the Transformation of the Chinese and Russian News Media Industry

The age of intelligent media is transforming all areas of news media. The traditional mode of news production is gradually fading away, while the visualization of news is becoming more diverse. The boundaries between readers and writers are also becoming less distinct, and traditional print media appears to be losing its relevance. The era of intelligent media places high demands on the news media industry, requiring technological innovation to keep up with the trends of intelligence, digitization, and platformization. Everything is built on the basis of science and technology, which require constant investment of human and financial resources. This can be a challenge for some media organizations. Additionally, media personnel must maintain their competence and keep up with the latest developments in their field, including computer technology, artificial intelligence, and other related areas. Currently, the shortage of qualified professionals in China and Russia is hindering the media's transition to AI news dissemination. Additionally, the issue of liability for AI remains unclear, which may lead to disputes over errors. Furthermore, the problem of AI infringing on intellectual property rights is becoming more apparent. AI is currently unable to authenticate data, leading to the proliferation of fake news and disruption of the news ecosystem.

Throughout history, China and Russia have maintained a friendly and cooperative relationship. The news media plays a crucial role in international communication and serves as a platform for showcasing international cooperation. China has a long-standing commitment to the development of science and technology. Innovations in artificial intelligence have been applied to various fields, including medical care, teaching, household chores, and media. These advancements have brought about greater convenience and efficiency in daily life. According to Zhao Zizhong, director and professor of the New Media Research Institute of Communication University of China (CUC), the future of all-media will be characterized by content quantization, process cloudization, terminal material connection, and intelligent communication modes. However, the Russian media system lags behind the world leaders in the adoption of AI innovations, as the industry has only recently entered this high-tech field. The retail sector has the potential to develop AI technologies in the future, similar to other industries such as medicine and finance. The retail sector has the potential to develop AI technologies in the future, similar to other industries such as medicine and finance. It is currently in an active stage of AI proliferation ^[30].

4. Conclusion

China and Russia should develop the capabilities of their news media comprehensively. This includes developing innovative news production technologies, training media professionals with an international outlook who are both technologically savvy and journalistic, and utilizing artificial intelligence to serve the development of the news media and promote friendly cooperation between the two countries. News media is an auxiliary discipline that involves the development of various fields. The dissemination of news can significantly impact the effectiveness of China-Russian cooperation. The digital and intelligent transformation of news media has the potential to elevate the cooperation between the two countries to a new historical level. Additionally, media collaboration between China and Russia can help stabilize the world situation and provide a favorable ecological environment for international media.