After a three-month-long global talent hunt that spanned 130 countries and regions and saw thousands of online entries since April 2021, CGTN announced on Tuesday the list of Top 200 candidates for the second round of the Media Challengers campaign. Along with the announcement of the Global Top 200, 30 professional judges from around the world, including experts and scholars in the field of media, executives from reputable media organizations, and many popular opinion leaders and industry leaders, also made an appearance.

Launching their mission to find the next generation of on-camera reporters, CGTN welcomed presenters, DJs, podcasters, social media influencers, and aspiring storytellers from all over the world to submit three-minute videos revealing why they should be considered for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the next face and voice of CGTN.

Receiving an overwhelming number of video submissions that totaled over 100 hours and represented a diverse range of the global content creators' backgrounds and specialties, a panel of 40 professional judges from the media and entertainment industries viewed the first round of submissions in 12 auditions to shortlist the pool to just 200.

The Top 200 will now participate in the next round of video challenges, showcasing their unique storytelling, editing and presenting skills. Most importantly, they will be called upon to demonstrate their ability to engage viewers through sharing fresh ideas with their dynamic personalities.

Encouraging an ongoing cross-cultural exchange from the global participants as they express themselves with multimedia and create stories that can resonate with audiences worldwide, the Media Challengers campaign will utilize a combination of "online" and "offline" judging to select creators who stay in the running and ascend to the following rounds. 

Seasoned media experts, along with international audiences, will get to view the videos throughout each round, in the style of a reality show, until the competition narrows down the group of Media Challengers to the final round of individuals, culminating in their last – and ultimate – storytelling challenge offline.

Launched on April 8, 2021, the Media Challengers event aims to find talented and promising news media professionals from around the world. Shortlisted Media Challengers will have the opportunity to receive professional multimedia training and resources, and enter CGTN's official talent database to become a full-time or part-time reporters to tell stories directly from the front lines. At the end of the competition, winners may also receive offers to report at CGTN's Beijing headquarters or three regional production centers, in Washington, D.C., London, and Nairobi.

As the Challenge continues, the next videos from the Top 200 Media Challengers can be viewed on five major partner platforms worldwide including Weibo, Bilibili, Yangshipin, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Variety China. For more information, please visit https://www.cgtn.com/mediachallengers.html