The campaign will seek to "prevent extortion by news reporting and contain the spread of fake news," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted an official statement as saying.
No timetable was given for the campaign, which organisers say will involve more hotlines and online platforms for the public to report malpractice by journalists and newspapers.
Though expanded in a big way, the media in China is state owned and the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) held orientation courses for media personnel across the country.