China's shares closed 0.31 percent higher on Friday, led by media counters after the country widened access to the sector for foreign investors this week. But the broader market remained in the doldrums as investors fretted over leaner full-year earnings from blue chips and the impact of further economic cooling measures next year.
The benchmark Shanghai composite index, which groups foreign currency B shares and local currency A shares, finished at 1,337.197 points.
Television programme producers and other media firms were among the most active counters.
Media technology developer Shanghai Fello Co jumped 9.9 percent to 4.66 yuan, while China Television Media Co ended 1.84 percent higher at 13.31 yuan - its highest level in the past nine and a half months.
Weifang Beida Jade Bird Huaguang Technology surged 10 percent to 5.50 yuan, marking its biggest single-day gain in the past two and a half months.
China now allows foreign firms to own up to 49 percent of joint ventures engaged in programme production, which had previously been off-limits.
Brokers said the opening of the once strictly controlled sector would bring much needed cash and expertise from overseas counterparts and would boost the bottom lines of domestic media firms in the long run.
"The broader index is likely to move within the 1,300 and 1,380 point range next week," said Cao Xuefeng, an analyst at West China Securities.
Bellwether China United Telecommunications Corp, the smaller of the country's two wireless operators, was Friday's most active stock, sliding 0.66 percent to 3.01 yuan.
Sinopec Corp, Asia's top oil refiner and the most valuable stock on mainland bourses, closed down 0.23 at 4.34 yuan.
The stock market has shed a quarter of its value since China intensified credit curbs in early April.