CNN, BBC to air ChiCom's Propaganda TV Show

CNN, BBC to air Beijing TV shows

BEIJING, June 24 -- CNN and BBC will air Beijing TV shows for four years in a row, featuring the modern Beijing and its glorious history as well as its sci-tech and artistic develepment.

As is learned from the "Market Promotion Conference on Olympic Tourism", Cable News Network (CNN) and British Broadcast Corporation (BBC) will air Beijing TV shows for four years in a row, featuring "modern Beijing", "glorious Beijing", "sci-tech Beijing", "artistic Beijing" as well as "humanistic Beijing".

According to Yu Debin, deputy director with Beijing Tourism Administration, the TV shows to be on CNN and BBC will be divided into four chapters, namely scenery, culture, cuisine and shopping, all-directionally and multi-anglely illustrating Beijing's achievements to the rest of world. In 2003, Beijing broadcasted its own advertising shows directed and designed by well-known director Zhang Yimou via CNN world channel for 116 times, reaching more than 200 countries and regions.

It is said that the year of 2005 is acknowledged as the Beijing Olympic tourism year, and 2006 humanistic Olympic appreciation year, 2007 green Olympic demonstration year and 2008 sci-tech Olympic impression year. Government demands that starting from this year on, all domestic and international promotion activities must highlight the concept of "sci-tech Olympic, green Olympic and people's Olympic", making it the theme of Beijing's image advertising.

The official estimation shows that under the positive influence of CNN's and BBC's propaganda and promotion activities in various regions, Beijing is expected to welcome 3.5 million overseas tourists in 2005, who will bring along a total tourism revenue of 3.5 billion US dollars. It is estimated that Beijing will embrace 4.6 million overseas tourists in 2008, bringing 4.6 billion US dollars in tourism revenue to the Chinese capital.