Xinhua News Agency plans English TV news service

(Xinhua/Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-01 16:14

BEIJING: The Xinhua News Agency said on Wednesday it had launched a trial run for an international English-language television news service as part of a drive to boost the country's image and global media influence.

It said that its reporters across China and in more than 110 countries will produce domestic and international news that will be delivered to customers around the world at TV stations, websites, outdoor screens and to mobile users.

The move comes as the People's Daily also expands its international coverage, which said also on Wednesday in a front-page announcement that it was expanding from 16 pages to 20 pages, adding three pages on domestic and international news and one page of articles of theoretical studies, or arts and literature reviews.

Xinhua would interpret global events "objectively" and "impartially" from a Chinese angle and bring novel perspectives to foreign audience, said Xinhua President Li Congjun at the inauguration ceremony held here Wednesday.

Xinhua would strive to bring the English TV news service up to an "international standard" and actively work to make the service meet the requirements of foreign audience, Li said.

Contents, format, narration, and packaging of the English TV programs would be emphasized on unique news angles, in-depth analysis and trendy packaging, he added.

He also said Xinhua would strive to become "an important TV news supplier for the world's users." That, some foreign media fear, would potentially make it a competitor to news agencies such as The Associated Press and ThomsonReuters which already provide television footage along with text stories and photographs to worldwide customers.

Xinhua English TV news service will feature a daily 90-minute news service and the time is expected to increase as it develops. The service will be formally launched on Dec. 31. It will be transmitted through satellite to Chinese users, and over the Internet to users in other countries.

The trial operation of the service will focus on major events and breaking news at home and abroad and domestic news and topics in economic, social and cultural sectors that are of intercultural communication significance.

During its trial stage, the news service will be transmitted through satellite to Chinese users, while users in foreign countries will receive the signals through Internet.