12th Global Video Media Forum opens in Quanzhou

The 12th Global Video Media Forum (VMF) opened in Quanzhou City of east China's Fujian Province on Tuesday, gathering around 200 representatives of 87 media organizations from more than 60 countries and regions.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a speech via video at the opening ceremony.

Hosted by the CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+) under the theme "Intelligence Without Frontiers, Vision Beyond The Horizon -- Media's Role in Communication and Cultural Exchange," the two-day forum aims to hold in-depth discussions on the application and governance of artificial intelligence technologies in the media sector, establish new exchange platforms based on intelligent communication, and jointly create a bright future for the digital civilization of Global South countries.

Delivering a speech at the opening ceremony, Shen Haixiong, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of the China Media Group (CMG), said that the media, as a bridge and link for cultural exchanges, not only witnesses the progress and development of the times, but also records and portrays the stories of exchanges among people of various countries.

Shen said the CMG stands ready to leverage its sci-tech and communication strengths as a world-class mainstream media outlet and jointly build a bridge for global exchange, cooperation, and shared prosperity for all. He said the CMG will work to open up new prospects for media cooperation, raise the voice of the Global South, and work hand in hand with like-minded peers and colleagues, to contribute to the endeavor of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Zhao Long, deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and governor of Fujian Province, cited Chinese President Xi Jinping's statement that the media should not be absent in forging closer bonds between the people of different countries. He also extended an invitation to friends from the media to tour more places in Fujian to experience firsthand the multifaceted manifestations of the practice of Chinese modernization, and present to the world a true, multi-dimensional and panoramic view of Fujian and China.

The former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Djoomart Otorbaev also delivered a keynote speech in which he said China has made great achievements in advancing high-quality development and in the construction of a global communication system led by video media. Otorbaev said the CMG is playing an increasingly important role in making the international communication order fairer and more equitable, and hopes the VMF will help enhance mutual understanding among people of different countries.

Gregoire Ndjaka, Director General of the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), said in his speech that this year's Global Video Media Forum emphasizes the interaction between the media and new technologies, explores how innovations are reshaping content production and consumption, and considers the best practices in deepening responsibility and cooperation in a fast-evolving media landscape. Ndjaka also called for greater efforts to foster cooperation that inspires a global media culture rooted in integrity, inclusivity, and shared purpose, and to advance a media ecosystem that benefits all.

Juan Carlos Isaza, Managing Director of the Latin American Information Alliance, said in his speech that the "AI Governance Media Action Initiative" and the "Initiative for Media in Global South Countries to Jointly Promote the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind" proposed by the CMG are of great importance and will have far-reaching influence on the development of media in Latin American countries. Through deeper and closer exchanges with the CMG, the Latin American Information Alliance looks forward to establishing a partnership for the Global South featuring more coordination and solidarity, Isaza said.

Adrian Wells, Managing Director of the European News Exchange (ENEX), said that the ongoing technological transformation has added extra pressure to the survival and development of the video media sector, noting that the media should follow the trend of the times, enhance understanding, cooperate closely and share knowledge, information and technology in the face of challenges and crises, so as to reach wider audiences. He added that ENEX looks forward to deepening pragmatic cooperation with the CMG and jointly looking for more ways to tackle the current industry challenges.

The forum also saw the release of the Joint Initiative for Media Dialogue and Cooperation of Global South. Jointly proposed by the CMG, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the Arab States Broadcasting Union, the African Union of Broadcasting, and the Latin American News Alliance, the initiative aims to build a "Global South" narrative system and amplify the voices of its media, foster mutual learning and exchanges to drive the shared prosperity of Global South civilizations, and fulfill media responsibilities by advocating justice for the Global South on the global stage.

The forum also spotlighted cultural exchange efforts, including the release of a global promotion video for the CMG's "2025 Spring Festival Gala". As an essential part of the annual Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations since 1983, the gala has become one of the world's most-watched TV programs and an iconic platform for promoting Chinese culture abroad.

Additionally, four high-quality dramas and documentaries were introduced which will offer audiences a deeper understanding of the daily lives of the Chinese people as well as a glimpse of the country's rich history and environmental conservation efforts.

The CMG also announced its continued film and TV screening initiatives for 2025 across countries in the Global South, Central Asia, Europe, and America, providing a panoramic view of China to global audiences.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the CMG's China Global Television Network launched the "China Up Close" campaign, integrating multiple media formats. This initiative invites Chinese and international reporters and influencers to experience China's dynamic culture and socioeconomic development firsthand.

Attendees were also drawn to the CMG "Jingcai Voice" Experience Room, which showcased cutting-edge applications of 3D sound technology.

The forum also features sub-sessions such as "How New Technology Empowers the Media" and "People-to-People Communication and Cultural Exchanges Opens Up New Horizons for International Communication", which see discussions delving into topics such as the application and governance of AI in the media sector, creating innovative platforms for communication using intelligent technologies, and building a brighter future for the digital civilization of Global South countries.

Launched by CCTV+ in 2011, the VMF has grown into a premier platform for media professionals from around the world to discuss the latest trends in video content communication and innovation, while the event also aims to foster greater interaction and collaboration between domestic and international media.

12th Global Video Media Forum opens in Quanzhou

12th Global Video Media Forum opens in Quanzhou

12th Global Video Media Forum opens in Quanzhou

China Media Group (CMG) on Wednesday unveiled some of the highlights of its much-anticipated 2026 Spring Festival Gala, including officially announcing its lineup of hosts and revealing more about the technological innovations used to create this year's grand show.

Recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's most-watched TV program, the hours-long entertainment extravaganza will again feature a variety of colorful performances and be broadcast on the eve of the Chinese New Year, which this year falls on Feb. 17, ushering in the Year of the Horse.

This year's gala will feature a range of sci-tech innovations, adding a new dimension to the long-running television spectacle. Among these, a group of embodied robots will once again grace the Spring Festival Gala stage after their memorable appearance in last year's edition.

The overall look and feel of the gala has also been upgraded with the adoption of the CMG Media GPT 2.0 AI production platform, which is being used for the first time in content production, significantly improving the show's quality and efficiency through image generation and the creation of hyper-realistic digital humans.

Meanwhile, Vivid Audio-Visual Technology Standards, a program developed by the CMG's State Key Laboratory of Ultra-High-Definition (UHD) Communication and Presentation, is also being fully applied and integrated across all multimedia and broadcast platforms screening the gala.

The content of this year's show draws inspiration from the rich treasure trove of traditional Chinese culture and incorporates elements from various innovative and popular art forms, creating a cultural feast designed to resonate closely with people's lives.

The gala features a carefully curated line-up of performances, including a host of stirring songs and dazzling dances, enchanting operas, comedic sketches, magic shows and a number of creative fusion performances, all of which cultivate the strong festive atmosphere and convey a joyful and auspicious message as people prepare to welcome the Chinese New Year.

Six experienced hosts -- Ren Luyu, Sa Beining, Neghmet Raxman, Long Yang, Ma Fanshu, and Liu Xinyue -- will greet global audiences and guide them through the night from the main stage at the CMG's headquarters in Beijing, while another eight anchors will welcome viewers to the four sub-venues located across China, a tradition that was first introduced in 2016 to take the gala to new locations each year.

This year's four sub-venues include Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang in northeast China known as the "ice city", Yiwu in east China's Zhejiang, which has been dubbed "the world's supermarket", Hefei, the provincial capital of the eastern Anhui Province which has emerged as a hub for sci-tech innovation, and Yibin in the southwestern Sichuan Province, known for its ancient architecture and picturesque scenery along the banks of the Yangtze River.

As for the lineup of hosts at these sites, Yang Fan and Jiang Duo will helm the show from Harbin, Guo Ruotian and He Chuan will host from the Yiwu sub-venue, Zhu Xun and Bai Yu will join the celebrations in Hefei, while Zhang Tao and Wang Chuhan will lead the program in Yibin.

Modern innovations and creative fusion programs that will wow gala audiences draw inspiration from traditional culture, incorporating dance, opera, and singing into a new wave of enhanced performances.

By leveraging AI-generated imagery and real-stage expansion technology, these innovations enable even more spectacular visual effects, which are sure to thrill viewers.

Artists from various countries will appear on the stage of this year's gala, showcasing the harmonious integration of diverse civilizations through a range of captivating singing and dancing performances.

Aside from artists and stars, the Spring Festival Gala stage has long been open to people from all walks of life, ensuring that their contributions to everyday life are seen and remembered.

Champions of the WorldSkills Competition -- an international event that spotlights vocational skills -- will also appear, showcasing the spirit of craftsmanship defined by dedication, meticulousness, and the pursuit of excellence.

Meanwhile, a talented choir of local villagers and farmers from the rural Dazhanchang Town of Zhongwei City in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region will also sing melodies that tell the stories of their lives in one of China's agricultural heartlands.

At a press conference unveiling the gala lineup in Beijing on Wednesday, Liu Xiaomei, who works in the canteen of Yanbian University in northeast China and has been invited to participate in the gala, presented a specially created "limited edition" Spring Festival dish, delivering a heartwarming New Year's greeting.

It was also noted at the press conference that the gala's advanced 8K production uses entirely domestically produced equipment. For the first time, its vertical-screen broadcasts will apply CMG's latest Network Video Infrastructure (NVI) multimedia UHD production and broadcasting technology, creating an immersive viewing experience for audiences.

The 3D Vivid Audio Technology will also enable a full-link presentation, from collection and production to broadcasting, for the first time, aiming to restore the stunning sound effects in a panoramic way.

Furthermore, an accessible version of the gala will be live-streamed for the first time on CCTV Channel 15, featuring sign language performances and AI-generated subtitles, allowing more people with hearing impairments to fully enjoy the show as it unfolds.

CMG's artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) real-scene special effects technology is also set to make its debut with an innovative first application at this year's gala, creating a stunning interactive spectacle during the show.

The gala will be aired across multiple platforms, including CMG's 4K UHD channel, its 8K UHD channel, and various new media platforms, when it gets underway at 20:00 Beijing time on Feb. 16.

Internationally, the English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian-language channels of the China Global Television Network (CGTN), along with 85 foreign language communication platforms, will cooperate with more than 3,300 overseas media outlets in over 200 countries and regions around the world to broadcast and report on the gala.

The Spring Festival Gala, also known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, has been a major cultural symbol of the Chinese New Year celebrations in China since its debut in 1983. Every Chinese New Year's Eve, families and friends across the country gather to enjoy a variety show featuring songs, dances, comic sketches, operas, folk arts, and other performances.

The 2026 Chinese New Year ushers in the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.

CMG unveils highlights of upcoming 2026 Spring Festival Gala