5G Technology Helps Enhance the Guiding Force of Mainstream Ideological Public Opinion

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC proposed to “promote the integrated management of news propaganda and online public opinion” and further “improve the mechanisms for guiding public opinion and for coordinating responses to public opinion situations.” [1]1 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, held in July 2024, focused on further deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. Using 5G technology to enhance the guiding force of China’s mainstream ideological public opinion is both an inherent requirement for the national mainstream ideological public opinion field to effectively respond to new trends and challenges of the times, and an inevitable path for the widespread application of new technology in society. The new journey calls for new actions; we should further enhance the breadth, depth, and effectiveness of 5G technology empowering the guidance of mainstream ideological public opinion from the following aspects.

党的二十届三中全会提出，要“推进新闻宣传和网络舆论一体化管理”，进一步“完善舆论引导机制和舆情应对协同机制”。运用5G技术提升我国主流思想舆论引导力，既是国家主流思想舆论场域有效应对时代发展新态势、新挑战的题中应有之义，也是新科技在社会中广泛应用的必由之路。新征程呼唤新作为，应从以下方面进一步增强5G技术赋能主流思想舆论引导的广度、深度及效度。

Innovating “5G + Content” Production and Presentation

创新“5G+内容”生产呈现

Strengthening the “Gravitational Field” of Mainstream Ideological Public Opinion. The 5G era continues and upgrades technologies such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and blockchain from the 4G environment. We should focus on the dissemination of mainstream ideological public opinion content and innovate “5G + Content” new products, new services, and new business forms. Content innovation in mainstream ideological public opinion under the 5G background is manifested in content production processes and content presentation forms.

壮大主流思想舆论“引力场”。5G时代延续升级了4G环境下的云计算、物联网、区块链等技术，我们要围绕主流思想舆论内容传播，创新“5G+内容”新产品、新服务、新业态。5G背景下的主流思想舆论内容创新表现在内容生产流程、内容呈现形式方面。

On the one hand, with the acceleration of network transmission rates and the shortening of bandwidth latency, the emergence of robot writing and digital human anchors has improved content production efficiency and optimized content production processes. For example, the Xinhua News Agency’s “Central Kitchen” all-media reporting platform possesses functions such as intelligent writing, public opinion analysis, big data scraping, and intelligent distribution, enabling efficient 24/7 operation, greatly enhancing the effectiveness of mainstream ideological public opinion content production. [2]2 “Central Kitchen” is a metaphor for a centralized all-media content production and distribution platform adopted by Chinese state media to integrate news gathering, editing, and multi-platform publishing. On the other hand, in terms of content presentation, mainstream media keep pace with the forefront of the times, continuously innovate content, and seek new forms of presenting mainstream ideological public opinion content against the backdrop of the new technological revolution.

一方面，伴随网络传输速率加快、带宽延时缩短，机器人写作、数字人主播的出现提高了内容生产效率，优化了内容生产流程。譬如，新华社“中央厨房”全媒体报道平台，拥有智能写作、舆情分析、大数据抓取、智能分发等功能，能24小时不间断高效作业，大大增强了主流思想舆论内容生产成效。另一方面，在内容呈现方面，主流媒体紧跟时代前沿，不断进行内容创新，寻求新技术革命背景下的主流思想舆论内容呈现新形式。

In recent years, China Central Television has gradually adopted “5G + 8K” and “5G + VR” formats for live reporting to ensure the timeliness of news events, the ultra-high definition of content, and the novelty of perspectives, thereby also strengthening user stickiness. In the future, people may receive information through holographic projection, VR glasses, or even brainwave conversations, rather than physical media such as mobile phones, computers, and tablets. This highlights the subjectivity of information in the dissemination process, making information and dissemination jointly serve the audience, thereby enhancing the capacity for mainstream discourse dissemination and increasing the attractiveness, centripetal force, and cohesion of mainstream ideological public opinion.

近年来，央视逐渐采用“5G+8K”“5G+VR”等形式进行直播报道，以保证新闻事件的时效性、内容的超高清度及视角的新颖性，用户黏性也得到加强。未来，人们或可通过全息投影、VR眼镜甚至脑电波对话来接收信息，而不再是手机、电脑、平板等实体媒介。这凸显了信息在传播过程中的主体性，使信息与传播共同服务于受众，从而增强了主流话语传播能力，提升了主流思想舆论的吸引力、向心力及凝聚力。

Exploring the “5G + Public Opinion” Governance Paradigm

探寻“5G+舆情”治理范式

Building a “Firewall” for Mainstream Ideological Public Opinion. In the high-speed, low-latency 5G era, information reception trends toward fragmentation, superficiality, and entertainment. The dissemination of online public opinion under the new technological background also faces new situations and challenges. A new “5G + Public Opinion” governance paradigm should be constructed from three aspects: ideological guidance, collaborative governance, and regulatory mechanisms.

筑牢主流思想舆论“防火墙”。在高速率、低延时的5G时代，信息接收呈碎片化、浅层化、娱乐化趋势，新技术背景下的网络舆情传播也面临新情况、新挑战。应从思想引领、协同治理及监管机制三方面构建“5G+舆情”治理新范式。

First, enhance the dissemination and guiding force of mainstream ideology in online public opinion. We must persist in using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to cultivate souls and educate people, and widely practice the core socialist values. Technological change is rapid, and the times develop steadily; no matter how the environment changes, we should always adhere to and consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological domain. We must be adept at using mainstream ideological public opinion to prevent the escalation of negative online public opinion, resolutely resist various erroneous ideological trends and viewpoints, and use the core socialist values to build consensus.

一是提升主流意识形态在网络舆情中的传播力、引导力。我们要坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人，广泛践行社会主义核心价值观。技术变革日新月异，时代发展稳步向前，无论环境如何变化，我们都应始终坚持和巩固马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位。要善于运用主流思想舆论防范网络负面舆论升级，坚决抵制各种错误思潮与错误观点，用社会主义核心价值观凝聚共识。

Second, coordinate all parties, establish and improve a collaborative governance mechanism for public opinion management. The biggest characteristic of 5G is its fast transmission rate, but it also provides opportunities for negative public opinion and false information. In response, the speed of public opinion handling in the 5G environment must be faster, reaction times shorter, and research and judgment mechanisms better. We must continuously strengthen network information tracking and monitoring to provide timely and effective feedback. Different actors, such as the government and mainstream media, should cooperate to establish a strict, fast-reacting joint prevention and control mechanism for network public opinion to deal with sudden online public opinion incidents.

二是统筹协调各方，建立健全协同治理舆情管理机制。5G的最大特点是传输速率快，但也给负面舆论与虚假信息带来了可乘之机。对此，5G环境下的舆情处置速度须更快、反应时间须更短、研判机制须更佳，要通过持续强化网络信息跟踪监测及时反馈有效信息。政府及主流媒体等不同角色应协同配合，建立一套监管严格、反应快的网络舆情联防联控机制，以应对突发网络舆情。

Third, promote the normalization of big data public opinion monitoring mechanisms. Along with the upgrading of infrastructure, we must be adept at using new technologies to lead new quality productive forces, use big data, artificial intelligence, etc., to strengthen public opinion monitoring and management, promote government agencies to establish network public opinion supervision departments, and continuously improve the big data public opinion monitoring mechanism, making it a routine task.

三是推动大数据舆情监管机制常态化。伴随基础设施的更新迭代，我们要善于应用新技术引领新质生产力，运用大数据、人工智能等加强舆情监测与管理，推动政府机构设立网络舆情监管部门，不断完善大数据舆情监管机制，使之成为一项常态化工作。

Reconstructing “5G + Media” Communication Scenarios

重构“5G+传媒”传播场景

Boosting the “Adhesive” of Mainstream Ideological Public Opinion. From the perspective of the communication process, mainstream media can break through the single communication pathway of relying on computers, tablets, mobile phones, etc., to receive information in the 4G environment, and boldly experiment with new applications brought by technological innovation, such as wearable devices, smart homes, and smart vehicles. Through the upgrading of basic communication infrastructure, accelerate the construction of new all-media communication platforms, grasp the audience laws in the converged media era, adapt to new changes in the media landscape, seize the “commanding heights” of the mainstream ideological public opinion battlefield, and strengthen the dissemination power and influence of mainstream ideological public opinion.

助推主流思想舆论“黏合剂”。从传播过程来看，主流媒体可突破4G环境下依靠电脑、平板、手机等来接收信息的单一传播途径，大胆尝试新技术革新带来的全新应用，如可穿戴设备、智能家居、智能车载等。通过基础通信设施的升级，加快构建新型全媒体传播平台，掌握融媒体时代的受众规律，适应媒体格局新变化，抢占主流思想舆论阵地“制高点”，壮大主流思想舆论传播力影响力。

From the perspective of communication forms, we should deeply explore internet products that have developed rapidly under the 5G background, such as holographic technology imaging forms like VR, AR, and MR, breaking people’s inherent perceptions of existing communication forms. Through the upgrading of 5G technology, empower the construction of new mainstream media, while also conforming to the audience’s own preferences.

从传播形态来看，应深入挖掘5G背景下快速发展起来的互联网产品，如VR、AR、MR等全息技术成像形态应用，打破人们对现有传播形态的固有认知。通过5G技术的升级，为构建新型主流媒体赋能，同时也要符合受众自身喜好。

From the perspective of the communication audience, on the one hand, policymakers should do a good job of top-level design, effectively guide mainstream media to do a good job of public opinion guidance, and cultivate a team of creators, editors, proofreaders, and commentators that are “intertwined with each other”; on the other hand, through communication forms that are popular and “down-to-earth” for the audience, starting from the laws of the audience’s own development, find information reception methods highly compatible with their psychological characteristics, and improve the diffusion power of mainstream public opinion.

从传播受众来看，一方面，政策制定者要做好顶层设计，有效引导主流媒体做好舆论引导工作，培养一批“你中有我、我中有你”的创作、编辑、校对、评论工作队伍；另一方面，通过受众喜闻乐见、“接地气”式的传播形式，从受众自身发展规律出发，寻找与其心理特征高度契合的信息接受方式，提高主流舆论的扩散力。

From the perspective of communication effects, while artificial intelligence, recommendation algorithms, and machine learning technologies advance in depth, they also enhance the high precision of user portraits and the comprehensiveness of user preferences. In response, build smart new media through 5G technology to achieve more precise push communication effects.

从传播效果来看，人工智能、推荐算法、机器学习技术在向纵深推进的同时，也增强了用户画像的高精准性、用户喜好的全方位性。对此，通过5G技术构建智慧新媒体，以达到更精准推送的传播效果。

Building a Strong “5G + Talent” Work Team

建强“5G+人才”工作队伍

Drawing the “Concentric Circles” of Mainstream Ideological Public Opinion. To do a good job of guiding mainstream ideological public opinion, it is necessary to establish a talent team with high political awareness, strong media literacy, and good technical ability.

同绘主流思想舆论“同心圆”。做好主流思想舆论引导工作，必须建立一支政治觉悟高、媒介素养强、技术能力好的人才队伍。

First, improve the talent assessment and incentive mechanism. In the converged media era, information dissemination is accelerating, information coverage is widening, and information reception channels are increasing. While new technologies bring convenience to people’s lives, they also bring risks and challenges to the field of mainstream ideological public opinion. Mainstream media should actively conform to the development trend of the times, reform the talent assessment and incentive mechanism, and stimulate the motivation, vitality, and creativity of talents to start businesses and innovate to a greater extent.

一是完善人才考核激励机制。融媒体时代，信息传播不断加快，信息覆盖范围变广，信息接收渠道增多，新技术给人们带来生活便利的同时，也给主流思想舆论领域带来了风险和挑战。主流媒体应主动顺应时代发展潮流，改革人才考核激励机制，更大力度激发人才干事创业的动力、活力与创造力。

Second, enhance media literacy capabilities and build a strong talent team for mainstream news public opinion. Through forms such as flipped classrooms, virtual reality experiences, and practical exercises, guide news and public opinion workers to continuously learn the application of new frontline technologies, optimize the talent training structure, and cultivate a group of “experts who understand 5G, use 5G, and manage 5G.”

二是提升媒介素养能力，建强主流新闻舆论的人才队伍。通过翻转课堂、虚拟现实体验、实操练习等形式，引导新闻舆论工作者不断学习一线新技术应用，优化人才培养结构，培养出一批“懂5G、用5G、管5G”的“行家里手”。

Third, pay attention to the role of online “opinion leaders,” control the overall public opinion, and positively guide the dissemination of mainstream ideological public opinion from point to area. We should cultivate a group of highly popular scholars with firm political stances and solid basic theoretical foundations, use technologies such as cloud computing and recommendation algorithms to strengthen public opinion tracking and research, actively speak out, and provide positive guidance, thereby continuously consolidating and strengthening the mainstream ideological public opinion battlefield.

三是重视网络“意见领袖”角色，把控好整体舆论，以点带面正向引导主流思想舆论传播。要培育一批政治坚定、基础理论功底过硬的高人气学者，运用云计算、推荐算法等技术加强舆情跟踪研判，主动发声、正面引导，从而不断巩固壮大主流思想舆论阵地。

(The author is a doctoral student at the School of Marxism, Shandong University)

（作者系山东大学马克思主义学院博士研究生）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧