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Speakers:

Mr. Zhu Yonglei, vice minister of the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA)

Mr. Dong Xin, vice minister of the NRTA

Mr. Yang Guorui, vice minister of the NRTA

Chairperson:

Ms. Shou Xiaoli, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

Sept. 27, 2024

Shou Xiaoli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO), as part of the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited vice ministers of the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), Mr. Zhu Yonglei, Mr. Dong Xin and Mr. Yang Guorui, to brief you on relevant developments and take your questions. Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Zhu for his introduction.

Zhu Yonglei:

Friends from the media, good morning. First of all, on behalf of the NRTA, I would like to extend my gratitude to friends from the media and all sectors of society for your concern and interest in the NRTA and the radio and television and internet audiovisual work over the years. The NRTA has thoroughly implemented the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, and the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee to promote high-quality development of the radio and television and internet audiovisual sector. I would like to brief you on this work from five aspects:

First, we have advanced innovation in publicity and cemented and expanded mainstream thoughts and ideas. Radio and television media nationwide and the National Alliance of New Media in Radio and Television have provided people with authoritative news reports, vividly communicated Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, highlighted Chinese modernization and other themes, and produced down-to-earth programs focusing on people's lives and outstanding reports on major events and competitions.

Second, we have fostered diverse high-quality content to enrich people's intellectual and cultural lives. China has become a major producer of radio, television and online audio and video content. A diverse range of works have been produced and released. For example, from January to August this year, 148 TV dramas and online dramas in China have obtained distribution licenses, and excellent works such as "Blossoms Shanghai," "Always on the Move," "To the Wonder," "She and Her Girls," "City of the City" and "Joy of Life 2" have emerged. Achieving development by reducing production and enhancing quality has become a consensus of the industry. In addition, entertainment programs such as "Singer 2024" and the "China Online Audiovisual Annual Gala" have achieved high audience ratings. The Revisiting Classics channel launched this February has aired many popular classic works, attracting more than 200 million viewers.

Third, we have taken actions to address problems related to multiple charges and complicated operations to solve people's difficulties and troubles in watching television. Over 80% of households with cable television and IPTV are now able to directly access live TV channels as soon as they turn on their televisions. That is, they can watch CCTV 1 directly once they turn on their TVs. In addition, 200,000 hotels and 11 million hotel rooms have also realized easy access to live TV channels. In the first half of this year, we have focused on addressing the problem of complicated operations. A total of 560 million cable television, IPTV, and internet TV terminals have achieved the goal of reducing the number of subscription options by over 50%. People used to complain about excessive subscription options. Now they have been reduced by half. Cable TV and IPTV have completely got rid of advertisements that appear when the TV is switched on. Over 200 million TV users have realized the use of a single remote control to watch TV. In the past, the operations for watching TV were complicated. There were two remote controls, one controlling the TV, and the other controlling the set-top box. Now, more than 200 million users can use a single remote control to watch TV. The Academy of Broadcasting Planning, NRTA has developed a new three-mode universal remote control that can control both the TV and the set-top box. The Academy of Broadcasting Science, NRTA has developed eight miniature set-top boxes that are only the size of a USB flash drive and can be hidden behind the TV. In the past, set-top boxes were relatively large and had to be placed in view. Now, these miniature set-top boxes that are the size of a USB flash drive can be directly inserted into the back of the TV, with which people can still watch TV. At the same time, we have also launched a series of measures to diversify TV content and user experiences and promote mutual empowerment between televisions and smaller-screen terminals. This August, the proportion of active users of live TV channels increased by 10 percentage points over the same period last year, which is also the highest in the past three years.

Fourth, we have stayed committed to innovation and pushed the development of the industry to new heights. The central and provincial television stations have all achieved high-definition (HD) broadcasting. The HD rate of city-level and other local TV channels has exceeded 98%. Nine ultra-high-definition (UHD) television channels have been opened nationwide. With the coordinated development of cable TV networks and 5G, the number of 5G users of radio and television has surpassed 28 million. Online audio and video have continued to prosper, with the number of users reaching 1.068 billion. Remarkable progress has been made in the upgrading of public services. In particular, the emergency broadcasting covering the whole country has played a positive role in this year's flooding season. In the first half of this year, the total revenue of the national radio, television, and online video and audio service industry reached 668.3 billion yuan, with a year-on-year increase of 7%, contributing to China's social and economic development.

Fifth, we have balanced domestic and international priorities while deepening international exchanges and cooperation. To support national diplomatic efforts, we organized events such as the Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation and launched audiovisual exhibitions in various locations worldwide, showcasing China's radio, television, and online audiovisual programs to global audiences. Additionally, we facilitated the global distribution of TV dramas like "To the Wonder," "The Three-Body Problem," and "Blossoms Shanghai," enhancing people's understanding of China in different countries and regions. This concludes my introduction. My colleagues and I are now happy to take your questions. Thank you.