BEIJING, April 3-- The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Thursday summoned China's major media for a meeting, urging a deepened crackdown on fake journalists and news.

The meeting was attended by heads from the People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Central Television, China Education Daily and major radio stations in Beijing.

These media were urged to improve internal management and education for their staff and cooperate with press authorities to eliminate "black sheep" within their systems, a process aimed at "clearing the air" in the press circle, according to a statement released after the meeting.

The public were encouraged to report illegal media and reporters through hotlines and online channels.

At the meeting, the department reiterated its resolution to wipe out fake and for-profit news.

China's publicity and press authorities have been campaigning against fake news and journalists for the past two weeks, while issuing various guidance documents and publicizing illegal cases.

The press watchdog announced a fresh crackdown on illegal journalistic practices last week, targeting online media and others who defraud or extort money by pretending to be journalists, as well as genuine media and journalists involved in illegal cases.

Some people in China have sought negative news about government organs or companies while posing as journalists, and then extorted money from their victims by threatening to publicize the news. They have also asked for money in return for releasing positive stories.

Some have even swindled money from petitioners by claiming to help with their petitions.

In a previous campaign, authorities investigated 136 criminal cases involving fake journalists and confiscated 1.34 million illegal newspapers and magazines.

Earlier this week, two genuine reporters respectively working for China Economic Times and West Times were transferred to judicial authorities on suspicion of having committed blackmail.

On Wednesday, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television publicized 14 cases related to online spread of fake news and media swindling.