CCTV to operate 24 more pay channels
China Chinese Television (CCTV) plans to expand its six-channel pay-television line-up by 24 channels in the next two months providing a mix of domestic and foreign programming.
It is also looking forward to advice and assistance from experienced foreign companies on technical support, operation and management, sales and marketing, and customer services on roll-out of the fee-based services.
'Many TV firms, listed companies and content providers had expressed interest in our pay-television operation,' CCTV vice-president Zhang Changming yesterday told a conference organised by Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia.
'The expansion of pay-television services will take China's television industry to another phase and meet the demands of a segmented audience.'
Last month, in co-operation with China Film Group and Beijing Media Group, CCTV launched six pay channels in 33 cities, in addition to its 12 terrestrial channels.
The state-owned broadcaster expects revenue to exceed 80 billion yuan (HK$74.32 billion) this year, up from 70 billion yuan last year.
It wants to have 30 pay-television channels by the end of the year and 150 in five years. The channels will cover shopping, fashion, lifestyle, cars, stock market, geography, collectables and auctions.
Mr Zhang said the firm was in talks with Discovery and National Geographic on programming arrangements.
Customers would be charged 30 to 40 yuan a month, compared with 12 to 18 yuan now.
CCTV's aggressive push of pay-television services would compete against provincial broadcasters such as Shanghai Interactive Television, which launched similar services in September last year.
