China Central Television, the country’s main state broadcaster, is planning to relaunch its flagship news programme in a quest to defend its position as the country’s paramount media organisation in the face of a changing industry.

CCTV wants to make Network News, the news programme with the largest audience in the world, more attractive to viewers by devoting less time to reporting the activities of political leaders, introducing livelier anchors and adding more critical reporting, editors involved in the plans said.