中國的媒體業正在從黨和政府的宣傳部門向國營資訊產業過渡，這也是中國媒體 的制度改革過程。在中國特殊的政治和經濟環境中，媒體制度改革經歷了一個漸進的 過程。遵循利益最大化原則，中國媒體制度創新一般是從全國的經濟中心北京、上海和廣東向沿海地區輻射，然後再擴散到內陸地區。依照成本最小化定律，媒體制度創新首先發生在財經制度層面，然後帶動編採運作制度的變化，最後觸及宏觀管理制度。媒體制度改革的路徑是自下而上，媒體主管為了獲得即時的利益而自發創新，黨政領導部門維護自身的根本利益，同時為媒體的創新保留有限的空間。媒體的制度改革的方式是連續的邊際調整，在封閉的競爭環境裡個別媒體只求比有限的競爭對手略勝一籌，而報酬遞增的特性又促使制度變遷沿著既定的路線持續發展。中國媒體制度的改革是有限的，又是不可逆轉的，境外媒體的滲透與影響可能成為中國媒體制度進一步改革的推動力。

　　　　　Media in China are making a transition from state and party propaganda institutions to state-owned quasi-information enterprises, a process that also characterizes the country's media reform. In China's unique political and economic environment, media system reform has experienced a gradual process. Institutional innovation in Chinese media that follows the rule of maximization of profits typically spreads from economic centers such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong to inland areas. Operating by the principle of cost minimization, media institutional innovation first takes place in financial system, leading to changes in editorial policy and ultimately to macro-control system. Thus, the trajectory of the media reform moves from bottom to top. Mangers of media initiate innovations in the interest of instant benefits, party and administrative departments are protecting their own self-interest while leaving limited space for media innovation. The basic approach in media reform has been a succession of marginal adjustment. In the closed competition environment, individual media organizations stride only for a brush ahead of their competitors. At the same time, the progression of payment compels institutional change to follow the pre-ordained paths. Media reform in China is limited, but irreversible. The impact from foreign media may be a catalyst for further advancement in China's media reform.