Xīnwén Liánbō: 新闻联播 - "News Simulcast", CCTV's Main Evening News Program

• Keywords: Xinwen Lianbo, 新闻联播, CCTV news, Chinese evening news, China news broadcast, state media, Chinese propaganda, official news, China Central Television, 央视, main melody, 主旋律
• Summary: Discover the cultural and political significance of 新闻联播 (Xīnwén Liánbō), China's most important and widely watched evening news program. Produced by the state-run China Central Television (CCTV), this daily 30-minute “News Simulcast” is more than just news; it is the official voice of the Communist Party of China, setting the national tone and communicating government priorities. For any learner of Chinese, understanding 新闻联播 is crucial for grasping the role of media, politics, and “official narratives” in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): Xīnwén Liánbō
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (The term itself is not on the HSK list, but its components 新闻 are HSK 3, and 联/播 are HSK 5. It is essential for cultural fluency.)
• Concise Definition: The main daily evening news program of China Central Television (CCTV), broadcast simultaneously at 7:00 PM across dozens of national and provincial channels.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a national news program that everyone is expected to know about. That's 新闻联播. It's not a program for breaking news or investigative journalism, but a highly structured, formal broadcast that tells the nation what the government considers important. It always starts with the activities of top leaders, followed by positive domestic developments, and ends with a carefully curated view of international affairs. For decades, it has been a daily ritual in many Chinese households and serves as the ultimate “official record” of the day.

• 新 (xīn): New, recent.
• 闻 (wén): To hear; news. Together, 新闻 (xīnwén) literally means “new hearings,” or “news.”
• 联 (lián): To connect, join, or unite. Think of a “league” or “alliance.”
• 播 (bō): To broadcast or to sow (like seeds).
• The characters combine to mean “News Joined-Broadcast,” or “News Simulcast.” The term 联播 (liánbō) is key, as it highlights the show's unique feature: it is broadcast simultaneously on CCTV's main channel and relayed by almost all major TV stations across China, ensuring its message reaches the entire nation at once.

新闻联播 is a political institution as much as a television program. It is the primary tool the Communist Party of China (CPC) uses to “guide public opinion” (引导舆论, yǐndǎo yúlùn) and project an image of a stable, prosperous, and unified nation under the Party's successful leadership. The program's structure is famously predictable, typically following this order: 1. Leadership News: Top CPC leaders (especially the President) in meetings, on inspection tours, or meeting foreign dignitaries. This reinforces authority and hierarchy. 2. Positive Domestic News: Economic achievements, scientific breakthroughs, heartwarming stories of model citizens, and the implementation of successful government policies. This builds national pride and confidence in the government. 3. International News: A brief segment often portraying other parts of the world (especially the West) as chaotic or struggling, contrasted with China's stability, or highlighting China's positive contributions to global affairs. 4. Uplifting Closer: The program almost always ends on a light, positive, or scenic note. Comparison to Western Concepts: A useful, though imperfect, comparison is the U.S. President's State of the Union address. Both are formal, set-piece events designed to communicate a specific political agenda. However, the State of the Union happens once a year, whereas 新闻联播 is a daily, 30-minute dose of the official government narrative. It starkly contrasts with Western news programs like the BBC News or NBC Nightly News, which are driven by commercial interests, journalistic inquiry, and often feature critical reporting on their own governments. 新闻联播's primary goal is not to question, but to affirm.

While its viewership has declined among younger, internet-savvy generations, the influence of 新闻联播 remains immense.

• Setting the Agenda: Major policy announcements made on the program are considered definitive. Officials and business leaders watch it to understand the current political winds.
• In Conversation: People might say, “今天新闻联播你看了吗？ (Jīntiān Xīnwén Liánbō nǐ kànle ma?)” - “Did you watch Xinwen Lianbo today?” to start a discussion about a major national event.
• As a Metaphor: The term can be used humorously or critically to describe anything that sounds overly formal, propagandistic, or one-sided. For example, if a company boss gives a long speech full of empty platitudes, an employee might whisper, “他这说得跟新闻联播似的 (Tā zhè shuō de gēn Xīnwén Liánbō shì de)” - “He sounds just like Xinwen Lianbo.”
• Connotation: The term itself is neutral, but its content is viewed with a wide spectrum of attitudes: from genuine respect and trust (especially among older generations) to deep cynicism and ridicule.

• Example 1:
  • 每晚七点，我们全家都会准时收看新闻联播。
  • Pinyin: Měi wǎn qī diǎn, wǒmen quánjiā dūhuì zhǔnshí shōukàn Xīnwén Liánbō.
  • English: Every evening at 7 o'clock, my whole family watches Xinwen Lianbo on time.
  • Analysis: This shows the program's role as a family ritual. `收看 (shōukàn)` is a formal verb for “to watch” television.
• Example 2:
  • 我从新闻联播上得知了国家最新的扶贫政策。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ cóng Xīnwén Liánbō shàng dézhīle guójiā zuìxīn de fúpín zhèngcè.
  • English: I learned about the country's latest poverty alleviation policies from Xinwen Lianbo.
  • Analysis: This highlights its function as a source for official government announcements. `得知 (dézhī)` is a formal way to say “to find out” or “to learn of.”
• Example 3:
  • 他的发言太官方了，听起来就像在念新闻联播的稿子。
  • Pinyin: Tā de fāyán tài guānfāng le, tīngqǐlái jiù xiàng zài niàn Xīnwén Liánbō de gǎozi.
  • English: His speech was too official; it sounded like he was reading a script from Xinwen Lianbo.
  • Analysis: A common metaphorical use of the term to criticize something as being overly formal, rigid, and propagandistic.
• Example 4:
  • 这家公司能上新闻联播，说明它得到了政府的高度认可。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī néng shàng Xīnwén Liánbō, shuōmíng tā dédàole zhèngfǔ de gāodù rènkě.
  • English: The fact that this company was featured on Xinwen Lianbo shows that it has received a high degree of government approval.
  • Analysis: “To get on Xinwen Lianbo” (`上新闻联播`) is a huge honor for a person or company, signifying official endorsement.
• Example 5:
  • 新闻联播的主播都有一种特别严肃、端庄的气质。
  • Pinyin: Xīnwén Liánbō de zhǔbō dōu yǒu yī zhǒng tèbié yánsù, duānzhuāng de qìzhì.
  • English: The anchors of Xinwen Lianbo all have a particularly serious and dignified demeanor.
  • Analysis: This comments on the famously formal and stately presentation style of the show's anchors (`主播, zhǔbō`).
• Example 6:
  • 你别光信新闻联播，也看看国外的报道，兼听则明。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bié guāng xìn Xīnwén Liánbō, yě kànkan guówài de bàodào, jiān tīng zé míng.
  • English: Don't just believe Xinwen Lianbo; you should also look at foreign reports. Listening to both sides makes you wiser.
  • Analysis: This shows a critical perspective, advising someone to seek out multiple news sources. The idiom `兼听则明 (jiān tīng zé míng)` is very relevant here.
• Example 7:
  • 新闻联播的前十分钟通常是关于国家领导人的活动。
  • Pinyin: Xīnwén Liánbō de qián shí fēnzhōng tōngcháng shì guānyú guójiā lǐngdǎorén de huódòng.
  • English: The first ten minutes of Xinwen Lianbo are usually about the activities of national leaders.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes the predictable structure of the program, a well-known fact in China.
• Example 8:
  • 爷爷说，看新闻联播是他几十年雷打不动的习惯。
  • Pinyin: Yéye shuō, kàn Xīnwén Liánbō shì tā jǐ shí nián léidǎbùdòng de xíguàn.
  • English: Grandpa says that watching Xinwen Lianbo has been his unshakeable habit for decades.
  • Analysis: The idiom `雷打不动 (léidǎbùdòng)`, literally “unmoved even if struck by lightning,” perfectly captures the unwavering routine associated with watching the show, especially for the older generation.
• Example 9:
  • 很多地方台都会在七点整转播中央台的新闻联播。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō dìfāng tái dūhuì zài qī diǎn zhěng zhuǎnbō Zhōngyāng Tái de Xīnwén Liánbō.
  • English: Many local TV stations will simulcast CCTV's Xinwen Lianbo right at 7 PM.
  • Analysis: This explains the “联播” (simulcast) aspect. `转播 (zhuǎnbō)` means to relay a broadcast. `中央台 (Zhōngyāng Tái)` is a common name for CCTV.
• Example 10:
  • 新闻联播的结束曲一响，我就知道一天又过去了。
  • Pinyin: Xīnwén Liánbō de jiéshùqǔ yī xiǎng, wǒ jiù zhīdào yī tiān yòu guòqù le.
  • English: As soon as the ending music of Xinwen Lianbo plays, I know another day has passed.
  • Analysis: This speaks to the program's role as a temporal marker in daily life. Its iconic opening and closing themes are instantly recognizable to almost everyone in China.

• Mistake 1: Treating it as objective news.
  • A common pitfall is to think of 新闻联播 as the Chinese equivalent of a Western national news broadcast. It is not. Its mission is not investigative journalism but state communication. The selection, ordering, and framing of stories are all designed to support the government's narrative. Think of it as a daily press release from the nation's leadership.
• Mistake 2: Assuming everyone believes it.
  • While the program is ubiquitous, public reception is complex and varies greatly by age, education, and location. Many urban, educated, and younger Chinese people are highly critical of it and consume news from a wide variety of sources, both domestic and foreign. Assuming all 1.4 billion people uncritically accept its content is a gross oversimplification.
• Mistake 3: Confusing 新闻 (xīnwén) and 新闻联播 (Xīnwén Liánbō).
  • `新闻 (xīnwén)` is the general word for “news.” You can watch, read, or listen to any kind of news (`看新闻, kàn xīnwén`). `新闻联播 (Xīnwén Liánbō)` is the proper name of this specific program. Asking “Did you watch the news?” (`你看了新闻吗？`) is general, while “Did you watch Xinwen Lianbo?” (`你看了新闻联播吗？`) refers specifically to the 7 PM CCTV broadcast.

• `央视 (Yāngshì)` - A common abbreviation for 中国中央电视台 (Zhōngguó Zhōngyāng Diànshìtái), or CCTV. It is the state broadcaster that produces 新闻联播.
• `人民日报 (Rénmín Rìbào)` - The People's Daily. The official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, considered the print equivalent of 新闻联播 in terms of authority.
• `喉舌 (hóushé)` - Literally “throat and tongue.” A powerful metaphor used to describe official media outlets, meaning they are the “mouthpiece” of the Party and government.
• `主旋律 (zhǔxuánlǜ)` - The “main melody.” A term for the dominant, positive, patriotic narrative promoted by the state in media and the arts. 新闻联播 is the quintessential example of a `主旋律` product.
• `宣传 (xuānchuán)` - Can be translated as “propaganda” or “publicity.” While it has a negative connotation in English, `宣传` in Chinese is often neutral and simply means to disseminate information, though it is inextricably linked with the Party's work.
• `主播 (zhǔbō)` - Anchor or host. The anchors of 新闻联播 are national celebrities known for their formal, flawless delivery.
• `CCTV` - The English acronym for China Central Television, widely understood in China.
• `广播 (guǎngbō)` - Broadcast. A more general term for any radio or television broadcast, whereas `联播 (liánbō)` specifically means simulcast.