PropagandaScope

Data card 07

Who controls the headlines?A question raised by China Media Project (2015)

Xi Jinping is named in the headline of one in four items on People’s Daily’s front page

Share of People’s Daily front-page items whose headline contains 习近平, by month

complete monthincomplete: issues missing in August and September 2026; October 2026 runs to the 12th
10%20%30%40%0Dec2024Mar2025JunSepDecMar2026JunSep40.3%September 202516.6%February 202524.7%10%20%30%40%0December2024March2025JuneSeptemberDecemberMarch2026JuneSeptember40.3%September 202516.6%February 202524.7%whole period

Of 4,422 items on 675 front pages since December 2024, 1,092 name him in the headline (24.7%). In complete months the share ran from 16.6% (February 2025) to 40.3% (September 2025).

Source: PropagandaScope, data to 12 October 2026. People’s Daily front pages, 1 December 2024 to 12 October 2026. A headline is the main line with its lead-in line and sub-line; 555 items name him in the main line. Items include 208 photo reports. Six issues, 28 August to 2 September 2026, failed to collect.

Research sources: Bandurski (2015), The man who controls the headlines

View the data
MonthIssuesItemsHeadline names himMain line names himShareMonth complete
October 2026126511216.9%no
September 202628194633332.5%no
August 20262716725915.0%no
July 202631198572828.8%yes
June 202630199522526.1%yes
May 202631205402419.5%yes
April 202630200342217.0%yes
March 202631200391219.5%yes
February 202628181351619.3%yes
January 202631208542626.0%yes
December 202531200391419.5%yes
November 202530199644032.2%yes
October 202531204533026.0%yes
September 202530201815440.3%yes
August 202531205442421.5%yes
July 202531222462120.7%yes
June 202530215472921.9%yes
May 202531210623529.5%yes
April 202530196503325.5%yes
March 20253119034717.9%yes
February 202528181301216.6%yes
January 202531193642633.2%yes
December 202431189683336.0%yes

Download imageData to 12 October 2026. Updates will be published as separately dated cards.