Several state-run television and radio channels in central China’s Hubei Province will cease operations at the end of June, a move that observers say reflects mounting financial pressures on China’s traditional media system and the declining influence of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) long-standing propaganda apparatus.
In a June 10 announcement, Hubei Television said it would shut down two television channels as well as three radio frequencies, according to a report on Chinese news portal Sohu. The closures, approved by China’s National Radio and Television Administration, will take effect on June 30.
The broadcaster said the decision was made “to meet the development needs of the radio and television industry.”
However, a former employee and a media observer told The Epoch Times the cuts point to deeper structural challenges facing China’s state-run broadcasting system, which for decades served as one of the CCP’s primary tools for shaping public opinion. They spoke to the publication on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal.
Advertising Revenue and Audiences Dry Up
According to the former reporter, declining viewership and shrinking advertising revenue have left many local broadcasters struggling to stay afloat.“In recent years, funding has become increasingly tight,” she said. “Government subsidies account for only about 30 percent of operating expenses. The rest largely depends on advertising revenue, but audiences are shrinking and advertisers are leaving.”
She said many companies that once advertised on local television have shifted their budgets to online short-video platforms, livestreaming services, and e-commerce sites, where younger consumers now spend much of their time.
“Hubei Television had many channels, a large workforce, and significant equipment costs,” the former reporter said. “Even after staff reductions in recent years, expenses remained high. Eventually, the only option was to cut channels.”
At the end of its announcement, Hubei Television said it would continue to “deepen the systematic reform of mainstream media” and encouraged audiences to follow its remaining channels and digital platforms.
The former reporter said such language is standard official rhetoric. In practice, “systematic reform” often means consolidating departments, reducing staff, and shutting down channels that attract few viewers and little advertising.
A Nationwide Retrenchment of State Broadcasting
An observer on Chinese media trends told The Epoch Times that Hubei’s move is part of a nationwide trend.The observer said the closures represent more than a routine business adjustment.
“This is a passive contraction of the CCP’s propaganda system as it loses its audience,” she said.
According to the observer, layoffs have become increasingly common at local television stations across China, with some broadcasters struggling to pay salaries. In parts of northeastern China, dozens of county-level television stations have already ceased operations in recent years.
Industry data also points to accelerating consolidation. An article published in January by China Broadcasting Network reported that at least 75 television channels operated by major Chinese broadcasters were shut down in 2025, including channels run by provincial and municipal stations. In 2024, 51 channels ceased broadcasting.
For decades, China’s radio and television networks extended deep into both urban and rural communities, serving not only as news outlets but also as key instruments for the CCP’s political messaging and social control.
That model has been increasingly challenged by the rise of social media, short-video platforms, and online livestreaming services, which have attracted younger audiences and advertising dollars away from traditional broadcasters.
“Who still watches television or listens to radio broadcasts?” the observer said.
The restructuring aligns with a broader campaign launched by Chinese regulators in 2023 to consolidate radio and television resources nationwide. The National Radio and Television Administration directed broadcasters to eliminate channels with limited audience, weak influence, or poor development prospects. Official policy documents also called for the orderly withdrawal of channels that fail to meet operational requirements or demonstrate sufficient public value.
While regime authorities describe the effort as “resource integration,” the observer argues the trend reflects both the declining appeal of the CCP’s traditional propaganda system and the financial strain facing local governments amid a prolonged economic slowdown.
“This is a microcosm of how the CCP’s grassroots propaganda infrastructure is being weakened by economic realities,” the observer said.
