Chinese-owned TV station in mideast on air
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2006-08-03 09:42
The first TV station in the Middle East owned by a Chinese went on air on
Tuesday.
The station covers 21 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Estimates show that Asian Business Satellite TV has a potential audience of
about 400 million via satellite.
The Dubai TV station will mainly provide programs about China to
Arabic-speaking countries, Xinhua news agency said.
The TV station will broadcast programs, such as China Business Travel
Express, A Window to Chinese Industries and a program about Chinese culture, and
will report business information daily.
Wang Weisheng, the station's chairman of the board, expects these programs to
be a bridge to introduce more Chinese brands into the Middle East market.
The station will also introduce tourism resorts and historic relics in China
to the Arabic audience, helping them have a better knowledge of China.
Wang, who left his hometown of Wenzhou City in eastern China's Zhejiang
Province for the United Arab Emirates more than 10 years ago, purchased the UAE
state-owned television station Aldeer TV at the end of last year, and renamed
it.
He was involved in the garment business after he first arrived in Dubai,
earlier media reports said.
The TV station used to be owned by Dubai Media City and featured
entertainment programs and broadcasts in Arabic and English via the Nilesat
satellite, which also beams the signal of Qatar's Peninsula TV.
However, the station's audience share declined last year. Dubai Media City
invited Wang to provide programs, TV series or films introducing Chinese scenes
and news. Instead, Wang proposed to purchase the TV station.
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