The media in China are doing more to reach their English audience.A recent tour of media companies in China, including CCTV, China Radio International and China Daily, revealed that they were not only focusing on domestic coverage, but placing more emphasis on global news events.At CCTV there are 15 000 staff members, of which 3 000 are journalists. The television station which started in 1958, however, focuses mainly on the national issues of the country, she said.Li, the interpreter who led the tour of journalists from Latin America and the Caribbean who recently visited China at the invitation of the State Council Information Office, said the 24-hour news organisation had 22 free to air channels.Equipped with a high definition editing room, the station also has five international channels with a sixth to be added – the Arabic channel.CCTV English, Li said, was relaunched in May, with a strategy to improve news coverage. Deputy editor-in-chief Yuan Zhengming said late last year changes were also made and he reported that the results were “satisfying” with viewership increasing by 50 per cent.China radioAt China Radio International (CRI), vice-president Wang Yunpeng his station placed a heavy focus on its English operations. For example, it employ over 30 staff members in its foreign service, he noted.During a visit to the radio station it was noted that some of the programmes included the two-hour talk show The Today Show, the flagship of the station, co-hosted by a Chinese and a “foreigner”.He said there was an overseas department, and a bilingual station, FM 91.5.China Now is another three-hour programme which provides listeners with information on China, he added. China Drive is another programme aired from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The station’s website, he added, employs 50 people made up of Chinese and foreign staff.At China Daily, the only English newspaper in China, deputy editor-in-chief Kang Bing told the delegation that the newspaper which was celebrating its 29th anniversary this year, had bureaus in Europe, Beijing and Shanghai. He said the station was looking to open bureaus in Africa and South America, primarily in Brazil.The official said 270 000 copies of the English version were published, targeting foreigners who live in China.
