Shanghai United Media Group
A Shanghai municipal state-owned media group formed in 2013 through the consolidation and restructuring of major newspapers and related media assets.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Shanghai United Media Group (SUMG) is a state-owned media organization based in Shanghai and overseen by the Shanghai municipal Party and state authorities. It was established in October 2013 as part of a municipal reform of Shanghai's newspaper and publishing sector. The group brought major newspaper institutions into a broader media structure while also pursuing organizational consolidation, asset restructuring, digital transformation, and new forms of integrated media production. The group emerged from a policy effort initiated in September 2013 by Han Zheng, then secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. The reform was formally approved on October 28, 2013, when the group was established and its plaque was unveiled. Qiu Xin, formerly associated with Shanghai Radio and Television Station and Shanghai Oriental Media Group, became president. Gao Yunfei, a former vice president of Wenhui–Xinmin United Press Group, became vice president and general manager, while Cheng Feng, previously chairman of Shanghai State-owned Assets Management Company, became vice president and deputy general manager. SUMG's principal newspaper assets include Jiefang Daily, Wen Wei Po, and Xinmin Evening News. After the group was formed, these newspapers retained or restored their legal-entity status within the restructured system. Other publications, including News Evening Post and Oriental Morning Post, were suspended during the subsequent rationalization. The restructuring reportedly involved the reassignment of 2,404 employees and the removal of long-term loss-making or inefficient assets. These measures reflected a shift away from maintaining a large collection of traditional newspaper entities toward a more concentrated, digitally oriented media group. Digital media became a central part of SUMG's development. Shanghai Observatory, a new-media initiative associated with Jiefang Daily, began operating on January 1, 2014 and was later renamed Shanghai Observer. In the same month, the group participated with China Mobile, Hony Capital, and other partners in a financial and economic digital-media project. That initiative was conceived as a combined cultural and financial platform and subsequently developed into Jiemian News. The Paper, another prominent digital news platform, was introduced in July 2014. Together with later online products, these initiatives broadened SUMG beyond conventional print publishing and gave it a portfolio spanning news, commentary, business information, mobile content, and social distribution. The group's structure has continued to change. Shanghai Printing Group, which had previously been associated with SUMG, was transferred to Shanghai Century Publishing Group in 2017. In May 2020, the Shanghai municipal government transferred a 43.63 percent stake in eastday.com to SUMG without compensation, increasing the group's role in the city's digital-media asset system. In October 2020, the United States Department of State designated Jiefang Daily and Xinmin Evening News as foreign missions of the Chinese government, reflecting the international scrutiny applied to major Chinese state-linked media organizations. SUMG has also pursued creator and international-communication programs. In June 2022 it launched an Integrated Media Studio Empowerment Plan with ByteDance and Tencent, aimed at developing domestic and overseas influencers. In October 2023, it established the Shanghai Global News Network, an international communication center whose social-media activity uses the ShanghaiEye brand. In late 2024, Shanghai Newspaper Group announced another reform program. From January 1, 2025, Jiefang Daily, Wen Wei Po, and Xinmin Evening News were scheduled to migrate to the Shanghai Observer, while Literature News was integrated into Wen Wei Po. The changes illustrate SUMG's continuing attempt to combine established newspaper brands with centralized digital platforms while retaining selected prin…
History
Shanghai United Media Group was created in 2013 during a Shanghai municipal restructuring of the newspaper and media industry. On September 2, 2013, Han Zheng convened a special meeting of the Shanghai Municipal Committee to address reform of the city's newspaper sector. The reform was approved on October 28, 2013, when SUMG was formally established. Qiu Xin became president, Gao Yunfei became vice president and general manager, and Cheng Feng became vice president and deputy general manager. The new group consolidated important newspaper and media resources while retaining the legal identities of three principal newspapers: Jiefang Daily, Wen Wei Po, and Xinmin Evening News. The restructuring also involved the suspension of News Evening Post, Oriental Morning Post, and other publications. According to the cited account, 2,404 employees were subject to reassignment or organizational triage, and loss-making or inefficient assets were removed from the structure. Digital expansion followed quickly. Shanghai Observatory, a new-media project connected with Jiefang Daily, launched on January 1, 2014 and was later renamed Shanghai Observer. In January 2014, SUMG also invested in a financial and economic digital-media project with China Mobile, Hony Capital, and other partners. The project was conceived as a cultural and financial platform and developed into Jiemian News. The Paper was launched in July 2014, adding another major digital news property to the group's portfolio. SUMG's asset boundaries subsequently changed. Shanghai Printing Group was transferred to Shanghai Century Publishing Group in January 2017. In May 2020, the Shanghai municipal government transferred its 43.63 percent stake in eastday.com to SUMG without compensation. The same year, the U.S. Department of State designated Jiefang Daily and Xinmin Evening News as foreign missions of the Chinese government, highlighting the international policy attention directed toward Chinese state-linked media. The group continued to emphasize digital production, creator networks, and international communication. In June 2022, it launched the Integrated Media Studio Empowerment Plan with ByteDance and Tencent. The plan sought to develop domestic and overseas influencers. In October 2023, SUMG launched the Shanghai Global News Network, an international communication center whose social-media presence operates under the ShanghaiEye brand. On November 11, 2024, Shanghai Newspaper Group announced a further reform program scheduled to begin on January 1, 2025. Jiefang Daily, Wen Wei Po, and Xinmin Evening News were to migrate to the Shanghai Observer, while Literature News was integrated into Wen Wei Po. Literature was expected to continue in print while also moving online. This later restructuring reflects the group's continuing transition from a collection of separate newspaper organizations toward a more integrated, platform-centered media system.
- 2025
Newspaper migration plan scheduled
[1]Jiefang Daily, Wen Wei Po, and Xinmin Evening News were scheduled to migrate to Shanghai Observer, with Literature News integrated into Wen Wei Po.
- 2023
Shanghai Global News Network established
[1]SUMG launched an international communication center operating social-media channels under the ShanghaiEye brand.
- 2022
Integrated Media Studio Empowerment Plan launched
[1]SUMG worked with ByteDance and Tencent on a creator and influencer development initiative.
- 2020
Eastday.com stake transferred
[1]A 43.63 percent stake in eastday.com held by the Shanghai municipal government was transferred to SUMG without compensation.
- 2017
Shanghai Printing Group transferred
[1]Shanghai Printing Group moved from SUMG to Shanghai Century Publishing Group.
- 2014
Shanghai Observatory begins operation
[1]The Jiefang Daily-associated new-media initiative launched on January 1 and was subsequently renamed Shanghai Observer.
- 2014
Jiemian News project developed
[1]SUMG and partners advanced a financial and economic digital-media project that became Jiemian News.
- 2014
The Paper introduced
[1]The Paper was launched in July as part of SUMG's digital-news expansion.
- 2013
Shanghai United Media Group established
[1]The Shanghai municipal media reform was approved and SUMG was formally created on October 28, with Qiu Xin, Gao Yunfei, and Cheng Feng appointed to senior management roles.
Products and positioning
A municipal state-owned integrated media group combining influential Shanghai newspapers with digital news, publishing, cultural, financial-information, and international-communication operations.
Daily newspaper
Jiefang Daily
A major Shanghai newspaper and one of SUMG's principal legacy publications. It has also served as the institutional base for digital initiatives including Shanghai Observatory, later known as Shanghai Observer.
Daily newspaper
Wen Wei Po
A major newspaper retained within SUMG's post-2013 structure. Under the 2024 reform plan, it was assigned a larger role through the integration of Literature News.
Evening newspaper
Xinmin Evening News
A prominent Shanghai evening newspaper and one of the group's principal legacy titles. It was included in the planned migration of major newspaper operations to Shanghai Observer.
Digital news platform · 2014
Shanghai Observer
A digital news initiative launched in 2014 under the name Shanghai Observatory and later renamed Shanghai Observer. It became a central platform in SUMG's digital consolidation strategy and was designated as the destination for several newspaper operations under the 2025 reform plan.
Financial and economic digital media · 2014
Jiemian News
A financial and economic digital-media project developed from a partnership involving SUMG, China Mobile, Hony Capital, and other participants. It formed part of the group's effort to build a cultural and financial information platform.
Digital news platform · 2014
The Paper
A digital news platform introduced in July 2014 as SUMG expanded beyond traditional newspaper publishing and developed a portfolio of mobile and online media products.
International social-media brand · 2023
ShanghaiEye
The social-media-facing brand used by the Shanghai Global News Network, SUMG's international communication center launched in 2023.
Media subsidiary · 2006
Xinhua Media
A media subsidiary listed among the group's associated businesses. It was founded in 2006 according to the reference material.
Bookstore and publishing
Shanghai Sanlian Bookstore
A bookstore and publishing-related cultural asset associated with SUMG's broader media and cultural portfolio.
Publishing
Wenhui Publishing House
A publishing institution listed among SUMG's associated businesses, extending the group's activities beyond newspapers and digital news.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Integrated Media Studio Empowerment Plan
China · International digital audiences
SUMG partnered with ByteDance and Tencent on a program intended to develop domestic and overseas influencers and strengthen integrated-media production.
Outcome. The initiative established a formal collaboration around creator development; a separately documented performance outcome is not available in the supplied sources.
Brand decisions
2024
Migration of major newspapers to Shanghai ObserverStrategyBackground
Shanghai Newspaper Group announced a reform intended to integrate established newspapers with a central digital platform.
Action taken
Beginning January 1, 2025, Jiefang Daily, Wen Wei Po, and Xinmin Evening News were scheduled to migrate to Shanghai Observer; Literature News was to be integrated into Wen Wei Po while retaining a print edition.
Aftermath
The plan further concentrated newspaper operations around a digital platform, although the supplied source does not document its final implementation in detail.
2023
Creation of an international communication centerStrategyBackground
SUMG sought to strengthen international distribution and communication through digital channels.
Action taken
The group launched the Shanghai Global News Network and operated social-media accounts under the ShanghaiEye brand.
Aftermath
The initiative expanded SUMG's stated operating focus from local and domestic media toward international digital communication.
2020
Transfer of eastday.com equityM&ABackground
The Shanghai municipal government reorganized ownership of a major local digital-media asset.
Action taken
A 43.63 percent stake in eastday.com was transferred to SUMG without compensation.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened SUMG's position within Shanghai's municipal digital-media structure.
Equity stake transferred. Held by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government → Transferred to Shanghai United Media Group (May 2020)
2017
Transfer of Shanghai Printing GroupStrategyBackground
Shanghai was adjusting the allocation of publishing and printing assets among its state-owned cultural organizations.
Action taken
Shanghai Printing Group was transferred from its previous association with SUMG to Shanghai Century Publishing Group.
Aftermath
The transfer narrowed SUMG's direct asset perimeter in printing and publishing.
2014
Expansion into digital news and financial mediaProduct launchBackground
The group needed to supplement its legacy newspaper portfolio with online and mobile products.
Action taken
SUMG launched Shanghai Observatory, developed the project that became Jiemian News, and introduced The Paper.
Aftermath
Digital news became a central component of the group's operating model and brand portfolio.
2013
Consolidation of Shanghai newspaper assetsStrategyBackground
Shanghai authorities sought to reform a newspaper sector containing multiple traditional publications and inefficient or loss-making assets.
Action taken
SUMG was established, three principal newspapers retained legal-entity status, other titles were suspended, and 2,404 employees underwent organizational triage.
Aftermath
The restructuring created a more concentrated state-owned media group and prepared the organization for digital expansion.
Recent events
Shanghai Shenkang and Shanghai United Media Group sign a strategic cooperation framework agreement[2]
Reported:
Shanghai Shenkang Hospital Development Center and Shanghai United Media Group signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement to explore cooperation across healthcare and media culture.
Shanghai United Media Group and Shanghai Construction Group sign strategic cooperation agreement[3]
Reported:
Shanghai United Media Group and Shanghai Construction Group signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement to explore cooperation across media and infrastructure.
Sources3 sources
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