TV channels cooperation forum held in Beijing

More than 100 representatives from 51 overseas Chinese TV channels — including SinoVision in the United States, Hong Kong's Asia Television and Taiwan's ETTV — attended the 3rd overseas Chinese TV channels cooperation forum held on Nov 15 and 16 in Beijing.

Started by China Central Television, or CCTV, in 2006, the forum aims to seek cooperation opportunities between CCTV and influential overseas Chinese-language TV channels, at a time when the stations are being challenged by Internet shows.

One result of the forum is that starting next year, CCTV's international Chinese-language channel will annually invite global Chinese TV channels for a joint interview on a specific theme inside or outside China. The cooperation, as well as the competitive activities involved in the joint interview, can hopefully improve the stations' overall quality, said CCTV's director Hu Zhanfan.

CCTV has also signed 10 agreements with overseas Chinese channels for program exchanges, and four for human resource exchanges. The exchanges are considered a win-win situation: CCTV's international channel will boost its overseas influence by having its programs broadcast on the overseas channels, and the programs will enrich the line-up of the overseas Chinese TV stations.