Beijing TV Reforms Take Shape
BEIJING --- As mainland broadcasters prepare for their first major meeting of the new millennium at the 2000 Beijing International TV Week (June 18 - 22), CMM Intelligence takes a look at capital broadcaster Beijing TV and explains how the country's second largest broadcaster is facing the challenges of the 21st century.
Having built up one of China's largest in-house production operations since its establishment in 1979, Beijing TV (BTV) is embarking on a major reform of its production assets - a process that will involve establishment of private production companies and the emergence of a commissioning-based program market with Chinese characteristics.
The reform is in line with the State Administration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT) policy of separating production from broadcast and, according to BTV Editor-in-Chief Lu Ying, BTV is taking a dual approach to the separation issue.
Speaking exclusively to CMM Intelligence prior to the Beijing TV Week, Madame Lu said BTV would transfer some production personnel to private companies, providing them with favorable conditions for an initial period, before requiring them to survive by themselves. She also said BTV would continue to increase the volume of programming acquired from outside sources and that commissioning procedures and broadcast schedules will be directed by ratings performances.
Following the implementation of the separation policy, BTV will be left with responsibility for broadcasting only, although news operations will remain in-house. Former production departments will be established as special production companies that will operate independently and produce for BTV and other TV stations.
Departments reaching the necessary conditions can start dividing now, but the whole station must reform within one year. For BTV production staff the news has not come as a shock, but the speed places great pressure on senior management to create viable business plans and secure staff, facilities and funding for new ventures.
However, BTV has developed several successful operational blueprints through trial projects in recent years which will be followed in the coming months. The magazine show "China Entertainment Report" is a good example of co-operation between key BTV producers and outside companies and it is already being successfully syndicated around the country.
The BTV Sports Department, which is a lead player in the provincial sports network, is also spearheading BTV's production reforms and has already transferred a number of its staff into a separate company. In most cases, however, production reforms are being preceded by channel reforms.
In December last year, BTV's third terrestrial channel (BTV-3) was re-launched as BTV Science & Education Channel and similar plans are expected for the second channel to be re-launched as BTV Culture & Sports. Meanwhile, BTV's program sales and acquistions arm has been re-launched as the quasi-independent Yingshida Company and BTV International and Overseas Service Departments are to be merged into an Overseas Center.
Even as it moves ahead with internal reforms, BTV is also starting to consider SARFT's second major policy directive, the merger of terrestrial and cable TV stations. BTV is starting with a series of smaller co-operative projects with Beijing Cable TV, but the key longer term project will be the construction of a brand new Beijing TV Center opposite the World Trade Center in eastern Beijing.
Merging terrestrial and cable broadcasters is a central part of SARFT's plans for the future structure of the TV industry and is aimed at stopping waste of resources and duplication of communication infrastructure projects.
Commenting on this policy, Lu told CMM-I that State Council Document 82 that included the issue of merging TV stations has gained widespread agreement and that BTV fully agreed it is necessary to stop duplication. She also said that the convergence of media and telecoms is inevitable and, like all countries around the world, China must be very careful to protect the health and integrity of its culture during this process.
Despite the multiple internal reforms already underway, senior BTV leaders including Lu continue to keep their eyes open for international co-operation within the strict boundaries dictated by state regulations. Apart from hosting the 2000 Beijing International TV Week, BTV may soon be committed to increasing its international efforts over the next year as a key supporter of Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympics.
In addition, Lu told CMM-I that animation and documentaries were key genres that BTV was interested in co-producing with foreign partners and stressed that BTV clearly understands distributors such as BTV's Yingshida Company must be provided with export programs designed for foreign audiences rather than rely on Chinese interpretations.
As may be expected from a prodigious content producer, BTV is also expanding its internet activities with an eye on the broadband future. With the focus on news and information, Lu told CMM-I she believed the station holds major advantages as a local partner. This belief she said has been backed up by unsolicited approaches from a number of domestic and foreign companies interested in on-line partnerships.
Despite this interest, she declined to provide further details of any BTV initiatives beyond the testing of Internet delivery of video services via "btv5" which is being co-ordinated in-house.