CCTV 9

According to Stanford University s Francis Lee, one possible significance of having a channel like that is to provide the opinion leaders in the United States another way to observe China. It is mainland China s only 24-hour English-language TV channel and is run by China Central Television (CCTV).

English news bulletins began on CCTV-2 in 1986 and became available to overseas viewers when they moved to CCTV-4 in 1993. A rolling service was instituted with news at the top of every hour, although the channel remains heavily dependent on features and entertainment as part of its function to show the world the softer side of China. CCTV-9 s intended audience is foreigners both inside and outside China, specifically those with an interest in the country.

We are taking great efforts to minimise the tone of propaganda, to balance our reports, and to be objective. CCTV International or CCTV-9 is a news, entertainment and educational television channel originating in the People s Republic of China that plays a major role in the external publicity (soft power) of the PRC government.

As of 2007, the channel has about 300 staff, of whom 70 are full-time staff and about 30 are foreigners on contract. In this regard, CCTV-9 will not restrict the origin of its employees and choose to build its unique identity through its programming.” The first foreign news anchor on CCTV-9 was Chris Gelken, who joined the channel from Hong Kong s TVB and presented the 30-minute business show, BizChina .

It caters to a global English-speaking audience, including overseas Chinese and English speakers in China. CCTV began considering English-language programming in 1979, at the start of China s reform and opening up . He hosts Travel in Chinese on CCTV-9 and has been honoured for his work in promoting cancer awareness in China. The weather on CCTV-9 is currently hosted by Halla Mohieddeen (as of 2006), Darryl Snow (2008), and David Alegria (2008). The flagship Travel program Travelogue is currently hosted by Marc Edwards and Michele Lean Yin Chen (TV) is the host of Culture Express The Chinese cultural show Rediscovering China is hosted by Aurora Carlson News and current-affairs programming on CCTV-9 reflect Chinese Government policy.

Basically, don t assume that every broadcasting channel must be aiming at the large public. Like most other international broadcasters, CCTV-9 usually airs a live news bulletin in the first half of each hour. But we definitely won t be reporting as much negative domestic news as the western media. .

After the launch of the 24-hour service, the channel was revamped a number of times with the assistance of News Corporation consultant John Terenzio and broadcast music composer Rick Krizman. Jiang Heping has defended the policy of putting foreigners on air, arguing that “we feel international on-air personalities boost the credibility of CCTV-9 and befit its image as an international channel.

Following his departure, due to internal divisions, a new controller had not been appointed by late 2007. CCTV-9 can be viewed through Sky Digital in the United Kingdom, on a number of cable and satellite providers in the United States of America and Asia, on the station s website, and on free-to-air satellite television.

Our opinions on the world are quite different from those of CNN and the BBC. Sheng Yilai, Head of CCTV International, was acting controller of the English service. The shortage of Chinese anchors with broadcast-quality English has meant that CCTV-9 increasingly relies on foreigners as news presenters, some of whom have extensive experience, such as Edwin Maher (a former newsreader and weatherman from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Gelken left CCTV-9 in 2005. Another personality at CCTV-9 is Mark Rowswell, otherwise known as Dashan. The latest major overhaul was in May 2004 when the channel was relaunched as your window on China and the world as part of the Chinese government s plans to expand its foreign publicity.

Executive producers, producers and senior news anchors typically have higher education, often from a university abroad. Programming in the second half of each hour includes Chinese-language lessons, sports bulletins, travel documentaries (not necessarily about China) and magazines covering the arts, science and sports. CCTV -9 also provided extensive coverage of China s Shenzhou 7 mission including live coverage of the launch for overseas viewers. The channel s programming has been extensively studied by academic and former CCTV consultant, John Jirik. The Chinese staff at CCTV-9 range in experience from interns to media professionals with years in the business.

One example of this is that viewers will only hear Taiwan referred to as part of China. As well as a generic news programme, there are specialist bulletins focusing on Chinese and Asian news (such as Culture Express and China Today), and business news.

Similarly, the history of and reports on Tibet will strictly follow government guidelines on reporting. Former Controller Jiang Heping has said on the issue of bias that it is the goal of CCTV-9 ..to voice a Chinese perspective on world affairs and to break the Western voice s monopoly on the news. CCTV-9 entered the United States cable market in January 2002 as part of a deal that allowed AOL Time Warner and News Corporation access to cable systems in Guangdong.

The best known of CCTV-9 s staff are its reporters and presenters. In May 2005, CCTV-9 Controller Jiang Heping was promoted to head CCTV-5, CCTV s sports channel, ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. CCTV-9 launched as a 24-hour English-language channel on 25 September 2000.