China Central Television (CCTV) and US media giant AOL Time Warner reached a landmark broadcasting accord on Tuesday - the first time a foreign-owned cable network's program will be broadcast on the Chinese mainland, according to China News Service.
Under the deal, CETV, a US-based Mandarin-language channel acquired by AOL in June 2000, will be offered to Chinese viewers in South China's Guangdong Province starting next year.
CETV is an entertainment channel, offering movies, music and sports programs.
In return, China's national English-language channel CCTV-9 will be broadcast on some Time Warner cable channels next year - the first time a CCTV channel will be carried on a 24-hour basis on a US cable system.
With the deal, AOL Time Warner has gained a foothold in the Chinese TV market, which many foreign broadcasters want to tap.
CETV plans to further grow within China by expanding the reciprocity agreement and setting up more CCTV-9 broadcast points in the United States, or improving cooperation with Guangdong Cable TV and other Chinese TV stations, the news service said.
(China Daily October 25, 2001)
