Workers were busy Sunday installing a digital television system
in two of the city's subway lines to prepare for live broadcasts of
the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Passengers will be able to watch Liu Xiang and other sports
stars on mobile broadcasts in 56 trains on the Batong Line and 24
trains on Line 13, with six screens in each carriage, according to
Beijing Mobile TV -- the company in charge of the project.
Subway cars on Lines 1 and 2, and brand-new Line 5 which will
start carrying passengers in September, will also provide live
television broadcasts with the same technology.
Subway passengers will be able to watch news reports, get
information updates such as live traffic situations, and watch live
broadcasts of the upcoming Olympic Games.
The installation comes after a successful one-year trial
operation of the digital TV system in part of Beijing's subway
network.
Trial broadcasts of digital television programs were first
launched in Beijing's ground transit system in 2004, providing
news, information and entertaining programs to passengers.
So far, about 5,000 buses have been equipped with the digital
television system, and the government plans to install the system
in 12,000 more buses and 30,000 cabs before 2008.
The company plans to expand the technology to private cars,
buildings and public places -- part of Beijing's efforts to create
a high-tech Olympics.
(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2007)