Hunan TV extends cross-cultural reach with new partner
Shanghai. November 13. INTERFAX-CHINA - Hunan TV, a top-ranked Chinese television station, has signed a strategic contract with Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Inc.(MRBI) to cooperate on content production and distribution, a Hunan TV representative told Interfax on Nov. 12.
"The two parties aim to develop multi-language content for Hunan TV's new International channel, which was launched in May," Hunan TV spokeswoman Jiang Jie said.
The companies plan to produce a live New Year's Eve party as their first joint production, which will be broadcast simultaneously in China and the United States, Jiang said. MRBI also wants to work with Hunan TV to launch new channels in the United States, as well as explore opportunities in new media.
MRBI is an Asian American-owned media company founded in 1982 that currently operates 42 radio stations in 22 major U.S. cities and broadcasts in 38 languages including Chinese, English, French, Korean, Hindi and Russian. It also has television and print media businesses.
Hunan TV launched its international channel on May 20, initially broadcasting in Hong Kong and Macau. The channel has since been picked up in Australia and the United States and will also soon be available in Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia, Jiang said.
Hunan TV held a 3.5 percent share of China's television market over the first 10 months of the year and is the most popular channel for females and viewers under 23 years old.
-HJL