SATELLITE & CABLE: BTV embarking on reforms to cope with new TV rules

Beijing TV (BTV) is embarking on a major reform of its production

assets to prepare for the new policy, which will separate production and

broadcast operations.

The capital's biggest station has come up with a "dual approach" to the

separation policy suggested by the State Administration of Radio, Film

and TV (SARFT), according to BTV editor in chief Lu Ying.

BTV built up one of China's largest in-house production operations since

its establishment in 1979. Now, it plans to establish private production

companies with the commission-driven programming model emerging in

China.

BTV will allocate some production talents to private production

companies, which will be ultimately run on a market driven-model, said

Ms Lu.

She added BTV will continue to increase the volume of programming

acquired from outside sources, and that the commission model and

broadcast schedule will be directed by rating performance.

Under the new policy, BTV will be left with the responsibility for

broadcasting only, although news will still be produced in-house.

Former in-house production divisions will be unbundled to become special

production companies, which will operate independently and produce

programmes for both BTV and other TV stations.

Magazine TV show, China Entertainment Report, is a successful syndicated

programme co-produced by key BTV producers and outside companies,

demonstrating a viable blueprint for BTV's unbundled divisions.

BTV 3 relaunched as BTV Science & Education Channel last December; and

similar plans are expected for its second channel to rebrand as BTV

Culture & Sports.

BTV's programming sales and acquisition arm is being unbundled to be

operated as the quasi-independent Yingshida Company, and BTV's

international and overseas service departments will be merged with the

overseas centre.

As SARFT also plans to merge terrestrial and cable TV stations in the

second phase of the policy to prevent a duplication and wastage of

resources, BTV has started a series of small partnership projects with

Beijing Cable TV.

The key longer term project will be the construction of a brand new

Beijing TV Centre opposite the World Trade Centre in eastern

Beijing.

Ms Lu told MEDIA, the convergence of media and telecom is an inevitable

move and BTV agrees with SARFT's merger plan to avoid the duplication of

TV resources.

Meanwhile senior BTV executives, including Ms Lu, continue to keep an

eye open for international cooperation within the strict boundaries

dictated by state regulations.

Animation and documentaries are two key areas that BTV is interested in

seeking foreign partners, according to Ms Lu.

She said China's TV distributors such as BTV's Yingshida Company should

also provide export progammes for foreign audiences rather than to rely

on translation services.

Source: CMM Intelligence.