Practical Pathways for Journalists to Cultivate the "Four Abilities" in the Context of Rural Revitalization : A Case Study of China Media Group's "On the Road to Revitalization"

Rural revitalization serves as the overarching approach to addressing the "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" agenda, while news media act as its megaphone, recorder, and accelerator. The "four capabilities" (footwork, insight, intellect, and writing skills) of journalists determine the depth, warmth, and impact of rural revitalization coverage. This paper takes the large-scale documentary series "On the Road to Revitalization" by China Media Group as its observational sample. It examines how the program exercises these "four capabilities" in its rural revitalization coverage. Based on the current application of these capabilities by journalists in such reporting, the paper distills and summarizes the "four capability pathways" for journalists in the context of rural revitalization. It finds that the program exercises these capabilities in its coverage through:Footwork—gathering firsthand insights on the ground; Eye—spotting value in trending topics; Brain—cultivating and refining core values; Pen—innovating with warmth and humanity. On the Road to Revitalization sets the standard for journalists practicing these four capabilities. Groundwork—trending topics—deep cultivation—innovative expression: This is the key for journalists to effectively communicate rural revitalization.