Xinhua challenges CCTV with launch of worldwide TV network

The official Xinhua News Agency has moved a step closer to its ambition of becoming a global media empire, with the launch of an international television network.

China Xinhua News Network Corporation (CNC) is part of the central government's push to have a 'Chinese voice' on the world stage.

Whether anybody will be listening is another matter, with a media analyst saying that any propagandist tone would be a major turn-off to media-savvy audiences abroad.

Li Congjun, the head of ministerial-level Xinhua, dismissed suggestions of a 'Chinese CNN', saying he was hoping it would become a world-class news source by 2015.

'We'll provide overseas viewers with international news from a Chinese perspective and domestic news from an international point of view,' Li said. 'The efforts could eventually help us build an international news TV network with Chinese characteristics, credibility and influence.'

The 24-hour satellite news network will be beamed to Southeast Asia and parts of Europe initially, said Zhang Tao , the director of Xinhua's network department, who is involved in the Chinese-language channel.

Zhang said an English-language news service, CNC World News Service, would be available to international audiences from July. The French, Russian and Spanish channels are in the pipeline.