Xinhua’s TV channels begin broadcast in Russia and CIS

Two television channels of China’s Xinhua news agency - CNC World Chinese and CNC English - will start broadcasting in Russia and other CIS member-states to mobile devices and personal computers. The agreement was signed Tuesday by chief of Xinhua’s Asian-European Department Zhan Tegan and SPB TV Director General Kirill Filippov in presence of Russia's Deputy Communications Minister Alexei Volin. “This is a milestone in Russian-Chinese cooperation in the media industry,” Volin said. “Until now this cooperation has been based on relations between state-run bodies; today a business entity has joined this process.” It's not just symbolic - the deal opens new distrution options for the channels. “Until now the Chinese channels have been broadcast in Russia through satellite networks. Russian IT will help provide broadcasting services to a new audience, who lives in the world of new media,” the official added. SPB TV media client is available free of charge to anyone and can be downloaded at at www.spbtv.com, It can used to watch TV channels from any mobile device or personal computer with Internet access. “Fast moving development of Internet-based technologies exerts a strong influence on the media industry. Revolutionary changes occur in collection, processing and transmission of information,” Zhan Tegan said. “Watching TV programs online is becoming increasingly popular. Xinhua pays constant attention to the  development of IT and ICT.” He expressed confidence that through new technological resources Xinhua’s TV channels will become most popular on the CIS news space. SPB TV media platform helps 30 million users around hte world watch over 200 TV channels. Xinhua’s audience in the CIS are mainly Chinese citizens staying in Russia or CIS member-states and people studying Chinese, Filippov said. Zhan did not rule out that the Russian version of the TV channel will appear in the future. Russia has two TV channels - RTR-Planeta and Russia Today - broadcasting in China. Another channel will start broadcasting by the end of this year, Volin said. “It is very important that humanitarian cooperation is complemented with a technological platform,” Volin said. “We believe that future belongs to such forms that are more flexible.” At the end of 2009 Xinhua launched round-the clock TV news wire, which covers main political, economic and cultural events in China and all over the world.