A dedicated channel airing China’s English Language CCTV9 will come on air next year, fulfilling an agreement that had its genesis since 2004.
The National Communications Network (NCN) will manage the new channel, which according to CEO Mohamed Sattaur will be launched by mid-next year.
He said NCN has already identified a spot in its compound where the transmission equipment would be installed. He said the Chinese will install the satellite dish and transmitter.
The English Channel CCTV 9 – China’s State-owned television network – is a dedicated English language broadcast focused on all aspects of news, sports and cultural issues about China.
Sattaur noted that CCTV is one of the largest state-owned television networks in China. Giving a background to the project, he said the dedicated channel for the airing of CCTV 9 in Guyana was requested by the Chinese in 2004 and there was an agreement signed between the Chinese government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and approved by Cabinet. He said it was on the cards for some time now and was resuscitated when preparations were being made for the China-Caribbean Business Forum that took place in Trinidad in September.
“We agreed it would be implemented this year,” he said. He added that the agreement will see the Chinese commencing the mobilization with a view to building the transmission hut in the compound of NCN.
“They would install the transmitter and the control room,” Sattaur said. “We [NCN] have to facilitate all the preparatory work,” he said, while adding that the frequency has already been identified for the dedicated CCTV 9 station.
Sattaur also explained that there will be time for local programming on the network and it will not be CCTV all the time. But he said that Channel 11, which currently shows about one hour of CCTV9, will be able to show additional programming with the advent of the dedicated channel.
