Chinese President Xi Jinping presides over a symposium after touring China's three leading news providers in Beijing, capital of China, on Feb 19, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi also talked with Sun Tiexiang, a Xinhua reporter who recently made interviews in Tayuanzhuang village in Zhengding, Hebei province. Xi visited the village several times while working in Zhengding, and he learned from Sun details about current development in the village.

Xi said, "local officials must be down-to-earth and keep close ties with ordinary people, and the same is true with reporters."

At People's Daily, having learnt that many young copy editors work on the night shift, Xi asked whether they have time to make interviews and investigations at grassroots level. He told the newspaper's chiefs to create opportunities for their staff to interview or work in grass-roots communities.

At the symposium, Xinhua reporter Li Keyong, who had made 13 investigative reports since the 18th Party Congress in 2012, mentioned his report of high-end clubs as venues of corruption, Xi commented "I ordered a thorough investigation into the problem the moment I read this report." Xi called for more truthful, quality reports based on in-depth investigations.

Xi also inspected the three news providers' new media services.

While visiting the headquarters of the People's Daily, Xi extended Lantern Festival greetings to the public via the paper's new media broadcasting system.

The rate of clicking the audio entry featuring Xi's greeting soared immediately. Some Internet users posted comments, calling it "a phone call from the General Secretary."

At Xinhua News Agency, Xi watched presentations of the agency's robot news writing system, Xinhua Silk Road Database, and the agency's services on overseas social media.

Xi also visited an exhibition of the agency's cutting-edge devices for news reporting, including a maritime satellite and a drone, and tried out a hand-held video live broadcasting device.

Xi praised Xinhua's transition to a multimedia news service, saying Xinhua has achieved great progresses.

At the headquarters of CCTV, Xi visited the control room and made a video call to CCTV's Washington-based North America branch, which opened more than four years ago.

Xi asked them to introduce China's social economic development in an objective, truthful and all-around way, tell stories about China well, introduce Chinese culture and bridge friendship.