Transformation and Development of Traditional Media in New Media Environment

Abstract

With the rapid development of Internet technologies, new forms of media have emerged like mushrooms after spring rain, forcing people who used to passively receive information to learn to obtain it proactively. Fast and timely information transmission enables people to access the latest news around the world in a timely manner. Therefore, Internet is called the "fourth media" after such traditional ones as newspapers, periodicals, radio and TV, and this new transmission model is encroaching upon the domain of traditional media based on its powerful technical support and advantages. However, in spite of the immense impact imposed by new media, traditional media are not as weak as many have predicted. On the contrary, they have timely adjusted their development direction and actively merged with new media, leading to the common development and prosperity of both. 3.1 Impact and Challenge from New Media to Traditional Media As of December 2014, there were 649 million Internet users in China, including 557 million mobile phone Internet users, 56.72 million more than the end of 2013, and the proportion of Internet users who accessed the Internet through mobile phone increased from 81.0% in 2013 to 85.8%. The rapid progress of Internet technology has challenged traditional media so much that the latter's original market is threatened, with their rating (TV, radio, newspaper and periodical) falling sharply and profits dropping continuously.