Date: 22nd February 2001

Pirate TV Stations Rise In China


A number of pirate television stations are popping up in rural areas of China, selling ads to local merchants, and, in the process, challenging the official state-run China Central Television, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

In one case, it said, a pirate station in rural Henan province simply moved its location when local authorities tore down its tower. When authorities attempted to shut it down a second time, they were thwarted by hundreds of demonstrators, the newspaper said. The station reportedly sells commercials for as little as $60 a month and receives payments for broadcasting tributes to recently deceased villagers and congratulations to newlyweds.

Source: Studio Briefing