The impact of social media on the development of journalists’ professional skills in China: an analysis of educational practices

this article examines the impact of social media on the development of professional skills among journalists in China. The study focuses on educational practices implemented in undergraduate programs at Chinese universities. It analyzes approaches to teaching digital journalism, integrating social media into the learning process, and examples of courses and initiatives aimed at developing key journalistic competencies, such as multimedia skills, fact-checking, storytelling, and digital content management. The sources include Chinese academic publications and official university websites. The article concludes that journalism education in China is undergoing systemic transformation in the context of digitalization. Chinese universities show a consistent trend toward expanding practice-oriented approaches, including the use of MOOC platforms and digital tools. These measures enable students to acquire a comprehensive set of professional and digital skills required by the modern media environment. Notable examples include courses on integrated journalism at Jinan University and fact-checking at Zhejiang University. These practices demonstrate the effectiveness of social media as both a learning environment and a teaching tool. The results can be applied in designing updated journalism curricula in other countries undergoing digital media transformation.

journalism, social media, China, professional skills, digital media, educational practices, fact-checking, storytelling, undergraduate