More cinemas will be built in China's rural areas, according to
the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT).
Many sections of the rural population find it difficult to see
films due to a dearth of cinemas and poor transport links.
"Solving the issue of not being able to see movies in rural
areas will be given top priority during the urbanization process,"
said Zhang Pimin, deputy director of SARFT, while outlining the
plan for the popularization of cinema in rural areas during the
11th five-year plan (2006-2010).
"In the future, cinemas in the countryside will be run by
companies governed by market forces and the government will put on
some free movies for farmers as well," Zhang added.
"Most of the profits earned by cinemas in the countryside will
be earned through the box office," he said.
Meanwhile, digital technologies will be introduced into
countryside cinemas so that rural people can see higher-definition
movies, he said.
Poor areas in central and western China will get government
subsidies for the purchase of digital technology, according to
Zhang.
(Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2007)