Editor's Note:

The Europe-China Media Exchange, cosponsored by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, recently invited dozens of senior journalists, editors and media experts from both Europe and China to share their thoughts on the influence of the media on public policy and diplomacy.

Philippe Gelie, editor, Le Figaro (Paris)

I do not think the media and public policy have a one-way relationship. Actually they have effects on each other.

Even the most influential media agency in the world is influenced by factors such as government and entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, the media is also trying to impact the development of public policy.

However, I don't think the focus of the media's responsibility should be simply put on how to influence public policies.

The media should realize that the more they concentrate on effectively spreading information, the more influential they will be.

Li Hongwei, managing editor of the Global Times (Beijing)

The media's influence over public policy is still something new in China. About a decade ago, before the Chinese media went through the marketization process, media professionals and the decision-makers of public policy were just two sides of the same coin.

The media's work was limited to promoting the government's policy. But today the media industry has become unprecedentedly independent.

The influence of the Chinese media on public policy is being enlarged in a gradual process. The power of the media has been unleashed through continuous reports about certain individual social events and legal cases, which finally attracted nationwide attention.

Media reports aroused discussions and inquiries over the authorities. Some policies, which had been in effect for decades, were ended quickly.

Social media has mushroomed to become a new and powerful force to intervene into the decision-making of public policy.

It can organize scattered individuals, amplify their voices and enable them to challenge the policies created by some authorities which they believe will jeopardize their interests, such as chemical industry plant projects.

The intervention into public policy has put pressure on government operations. It has reversed the government's passive response to both media reports and the public.

The Chinese government probably never expected that the media would play such a vital role in social governance. At the moment, it is learning to be a good listener.

Matthias Nass, chief international correspondent, Die Zeit (Hamburg)

European countries and their Asian counterparts might have some different understandings about democracy, but I think a democratic country should be open-minded in the first place, and the media is able to guard this openness.

The media is not only able to supply news to the readers, but also enjoys some privileges, such as close access to the information pooled by the government.

These privileges are also responsibilities for the media, whose reports must be authentic, accurate and complete.

In order to guarantee the quality of the reports, media agencies must have free access to as many resources as possible, as long as it does no harm to the national security.

Freedom of the media will not only invigorate its professionals, but also facilitate the normal operation of a modern society. Without the media's full-scale access to information, government can hardly evaluate the legitimacy of their decisions.

Zhu Hongjun, editorial committee member of the Southern Weekly (Guangzhou)

In retrospect, the Chinese media has made a huge impact on public policy in the previous decade. However, though important, its impact can hardly play a decisive role.

There is no doubt that the progress of many reforms owes to the media's involvement into public policy. But there is an imbalance in terms of the effect caused by the media.

In fact, the media has tremendous influence on issues concerning economic construction and people's livelihood, but in other fields, the media can only play a small role.

As of now, China's traditional media faces a massive challenge, which is also worrying its counterparts in both Europe and the US.

Traditional media is declining, and the slump is accelerating in China. The skyrocketing development of new media and the loss of newspaper readers are putting pressure on the whole industry and its ability to affect policy.