Mainstream media outlets should further push for media integration and reform to improve their influence and credibility, officials and news outlet administrators said on Tuesday.

In addition, the quality of content remains the key competitive advantage, and media outlets should improve their quality, method and service in providing news content, they said at the 2024 China New Media Conference.

The age of new media has brought big challenges for traditional media, but has also presented them with opportunities to create breakthrough content and reach new audiences, they said.

The two-day conference, hosted by the All-China Journalists Association and the Hunan provincial government, opened in Changsha, Hunan province, on Tuesday.

Mo Gaoyi, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the rapid development of online technology and the public's increasing demand for news service have pushed the systematic reform of mainstream media.

Focusing on content generation, mainstream media should deepen structural reform, optimize the process of providing news and create more content for digital media in a centralized and effective way, he said.

Mainstream media should create more positive and viral new media products, counter false views with quick responses to netizens' concerns, and shoulder the responsibility to become the driving force on the internet, he added.

Liu Siyang, vice-chairman of the All-China Journalists Association, said journalists should create more all-media products that can attract and touch audiences and viewers.

It has been 10 years since the concept of media integration has been put forward, and the association will resolutely lead journalists and news professionals to promote, engage in and push for deeper reform and contribute to the development of the news industry, he said.

Xu Lijing, deputy editor-in-chief of People's Daily, said that no matter how the ways of communication change, good content and high-quality news products are the foundation of news outlets.

High-quality news cannot be generated by artificial intelligence or "manufactured", but instead requires journalists to go to the site of news events and to conduct thorough research, she said.

Liu Jian, vice-president of Xinhua News Agency, said the agency has actively explored new production and promotion models that are empowered by AI.

Xinhua has launched 209 intelligent tools for news generation, which has improved efficiency, and it has also taken steps to better regulate AI-empowered content, he said.

Hu Jinjun, vice-president of China Media Group, said big data and AI have been used in all steps of the news process, in order to improve the online outreach of its content.