CCTV News Premieres with GlobeCast Australia on Austar

19 July 2010

GlobeCast Australia has announced a carriage deal to deliver China’s CCTV News – in English – to Australian audiences, via the Austar television platform.

The channel premieres in Australia on July 22 on Austar Channel 653.

CCTV describes the news and documentaries channel as "your link to Asia". It is produced in Beijing and already broadcasting to about 100 million people in 124 countries,

A CCTV spokesperson said: "This is the first time of cooperation between GlobeCast AUSTRALIA and CCTV. We are glad to have the opportunity with GlobeCast AUSTRALIA. I believe the follow-up co-operation between us will bring CCTV NEWS's excellent programs to audiences in Australia.

"With a special focus on China, the channel also emphasizes events taking place in Asia and all developing countries. It provides international audiences with a window into understanding China and the world at large."

GlobeCast Australia Direct to Home (DTH) Director Mr Mark Lobwein said he was pleased to conclude the delivery deal: "CCTV becomes one of more than 130 channels that GlobeCast Australia delivers. To have this special China service as part of our offering is something we are proud of. This is a culmination of ongoing discussions and future co-operation."

GlobeCast Australia is the leading platform operator for International channels covering the Australian and New Zealand markets. From its Sydney based teleport – the Gateway to the Australian and New Zealand DTH market – GlobeCast Australia offers total broadcast solutions to broadcast customers including religious, ethnic, sporting and specialty channels. Services include global backhaul, uplink, downlink, encoding, multiplexing, encryption, time-delay, local play-out, 24/7 monitoring, IP monitoring and SMS Services.

AUSTAR’s Chief Executive Officer Mr John Porter said: "We believe in giving regional Australians access to the best possible range of news and information services. AUSTAR’s news offering is second to none, with ten 24-hour news channels from Australia and around the world representing a range of different viewpoints. We’re very pleased to be providing a window on China for our viewers, CCTV NEWS."

In April SKY NEWS, Australia’s news channel, announced a landmark reciprocal programming agreement with CCTV and secured an agreement for its programming to be broadcast into China, and English-language programming from CCTV to be broadcast in Australia on a regular basis for the first time.

Australia News Channel Chief Executive Officer Angelos Frangopoulos said: "Today marks another important step in closer ties between Australia’s news channel Sky News and China’s international news service that will build understanding between our countries. We warmly welcome CCTV NEWS to Australia. Our reporters, across our nation are excited at the even greater co-operation between our channels."