Shanghai United Media Group (SUMG)
Established on October 28, 2013, Shanghai United Media Group emerged from a strategic merger of the city’s two most prominent newspaper groups—Jiefang Daily Press Group and Wenhui–Xinmin United Press Group.
Media assets
Publishing: Shanghai Daily, Sixth Tone, The Paper, Shanghai Observer
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
SUMG operates as a state‑owned media enterprise, firmly under the purview of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Governance and strategic direction ultimately originate from this political body.
Source of funding and budget
Detailed financial figures remain undisclosed to the public, but local insights suggest a dual stream of funding: revenue from advertising and a substantial subsidy from the Shanghai government.
In late 2024, SUMG initiated a reform plan that saw its principal dailies, Jiefang Daily, Wenhui Bao, and Xinmin Evening News, transitioning into the Shanghai Observer from January 1, 2025. Additionally, Literature News was folded into Wenhui Bao, while continuing to publish both in print and online. This means their traditional, standalone newspaper titles ceased to exist in their previous form; instead, their staff, editorial functions, and brand legacies have been consolidated under the Shanghai Observer (Shangguan News), which now serves as the primary platform for their content. However, some publications like Literature News maintain a visible, albeit merged, presence within their host newspaper and online.
This consolidation reflects broader trends in Chinese media, particularly the push towards digital transformation and the optimization of state media assets, rather than a complete disappearance of the newspapers themselves.
Editorial independence
Observers and local media professionals interviewed for this report in June 2024 and March 2025 noted that SUMG’s outlets operate in lockstep with editorial mandates set by both the local government and the CCP’s Shanghai branch. A single exception tends to stand out: The Paper, an online platform targeting younger readers, is often granted comparatively more latitude in investigative reporting, yet remains within the broader control framework.
As of mid‑2025, there remains no legislative or independent oversight mechanism verifying the editorial independence of SUMG outlets.
July 2025