China Central Television (CCTV), the country's state television station, is to formally launch new international French and Spanish channels on Oct. 1.

The two channels would broadcast around the clock -- CCTV-E in Spanish and CCTV-F in French -- programs on news, economy, history, culture, tourism, sports, entertainment, films and drama, as well as Chinese language teaching, said a CCTV spokesman.

The new channels will end the trial broadcast of entertainment and news channel CCTV-E&F, which began on Oct. 1, 2004. The channel has been broadcast in both Spanish and French.

Four million households in 36 countries and regions have access to CCTV-E&F.

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2007)