China International TV Corporation (CITVC) signed a new contract in Beijing Wednesday with more than 30 local TV stations from around the country to create a new entertainment TV program.
The program, which will cover a range of issues from health to old TV series, will debut on September 16 and reach nearly 40 million households with a total population of 150 million.
The making of this program began in August last year with a first-phase investment of 170 million yuan (US$20.5 million).
Li Xiaoming, vice-president of CITVC, cited this program as the outcome of cooperation between CITVC and China's local TV stations in the sense that it is a joint effort by both program providers and local TV stations.
For the creation of the program, a nationwide TV network was set up, which, for the first time in China, linked the provider of TV programs with local TV stations in different places, said Li.
Apart from the above-mentioned 30 stations, there are a dozen other stations which are currently negotiating their participation with CITVC.
(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2002)