List of China Media Group channels
Introduction Broadcast since 1 May 1958 as '''China Central Television''' ('''CCTV'''), CMG has a total of 49 television channels as of February 2021, consisting of 26 free channels, 17 pay channels and 6 foreign channels, making CMG the world's largest number of TV channels operated by a single television network. All CMG channels are broadcasting around the world through satellite, cable and on Internet television. Those channels are listed below in sequence of launch day.
Television channels === Free public channels ===All channels below are using Mandarin Chinese, with some news-related programmes showing sign language on the bottom-left or bottom-right.NameFormatLaunch dateSloganFormer nameNoteCCTV-1GeneralSD: PAL 576i 16:9 (extruded)HD: 1080iUHD: 2160p2 September 1958 (SD)28 September 2009 (HD)N/ABeijing TelevisionCCTV General and NewsThe first TV channel of People's Republic of China, renamed to China Central Television on 1 May 1978, defined as CCTV-1 during launching of CCTV-2, and renamed to CCTV General when launch of CCTV-13CCTV-2Finance1 May 1973 (SD)1 January 2014 (HD) ''(lit. Finance channel, look for values)''China color television test channelCCTV Economical, Life and ServiceThe first color TV channel of People's Republic of China, at the earlier test launch era, the programmes are related to education, later General television for economical, renamed to CCTV Economical, Life and Service on 3 July 2000, renamed to CCTV Economical on 20 May 2003, and renamed to CCTV Finance on 24 August 2009CCTV-3Variety1 January 1986 (SD)28 September 2012 (HD) ''(See the beauty of everything)''CCTV Opera and MusicRenamed to CCTV Literature and Art on 30 November 1995, renamed to CCTV Opera and Music on 15 January 1996 and renamed to CCTV Variety on 18 December 2000CCTV-4Chinese International1 October 1992 (SD)15 April 2015 (HD, Asian Edition)5 February 2016 (HD, European Edition)20 February 2017 (HD, American Edition)N/ACCTV InternationalWas general television for culture, renamed to CCTV International on 1 November 1994, and renamed to CCTV Chinese International in 2006.Was having English and Cantonese programmes before 2006, channel signal splitted to 3 edition (Asian, European and American) in 2006, bilingual captions available since 2009 for dramas.CCTV-5Sports1 January 1995 (SD)28 September 2012 (HD)May temporarily rename to Olympic channel during Olympic Games, before launch of CCTV-16CCTV-6Movies1 January 1996 (SD)15 December 2012 (HD) ''(lit. Open TV set to watch movies)''Owned by PDCCP, co-operate by China Film Group CorporationCCTV-7National Defense and Military30 November 1995 (SD)1 January 2014 (HD)N/ACCTV Children, Military, Agriculture and ScienceCCTV Children, Military and AgricultureCCTV-8Television Drama1 January 1996 (SD)28 September 2012 (HD) ''(lit. Stay for you, wait for me)''CCTV Literature and ArtRenamed to CCTV Television Drama on 3 March 1999CCTV-9Documentary1 January 2011 (SD)1 January 2014 (HD) ''(lit. Documentary, between heaven and ground)''''For the former CCTV-9 (International), see below''On 31 December 2016, the CCTV Documentary International has re-packaged to be CGTN DocumentaryCCTV-10Science and Education9 July 2001 (SD)1 January 2014 (HD) ''(lit. Knowledge, is just the power)''CCTV-11Chinese Opera9 July 2001 (SD)1 September 2018 (HD) ''(lit. The small stage for opera, the big smart for life)''CCTV-12Society and Law9 July 2001 (SD)1 January 2014 (HD) ''(lit. Between square and circle, there are heaven and ground)''CCTV WesternRenamed to Society and Law in 2004CCTV-13News1 May 2003 (SD)20 November 2019 (HD)N/ACCTV-14Children28 December 2003 (SD)1 January 2014 (HD)CCTV-15Music29 March 2004 (SD)1 September 2018 (HD)CCTV-16Olympics21 October 2021 ''(Every day Olympics)''Co-operate by the office of IOC in Beijing, mostly air in HD and 4K UHD, SD edition only available in some local cable transmitters.CCTV-17Agriculture and Rural28 December 2003 (SD)1 January 2014 (HD) ''(lit. Rural revitalization, work together)''CCTV-5+Sports PlusHD: 1080i1 January 2006N/ACCTV HD film visionCCTV-HDRenamed to CCTV-HD in 2008, and renamed to CCTV-5+ in August 2013CCTV-4K4K UHD: 2160p1 October 2018CCTV-8K8K UHD: 4320p24 January 2022Trial started on 1 February 2021CCTV Home ShoppingHD: 1080i 16:928 December 2006 (SD)23 September 2019 (HD)=== Foreign channels ===Except two English channels, HD format signals aren't available within China.NameLanguageFormatLaunch dateSloganFormer nameNoteCGTNEnglishSD: PAL 576i 16:9 (extruded)HD: 1080i20 September 1997 (SD)1 September 2016 (HD)See the differenceCCTV EnglishCCTV InternationalCCTV-NewsFormer CCTV-9 before 26 April 2010, renamed to CGTN on 31 December 2016CGTN EspañolSpanish1 October 2004 (SD)11 April 2014 (HD)CCTV E&FCCTV Españolsplitted on 1 October 2007CGTN FrançaisFrench ''(lit. Focus China)''CCTV FrançaisCGTN العربيةArabic25 July 2009 (SD)18 April 2014 (HD)CCTV العربيةCGTN PусскийRussian10 September 2009 (SD)18 April 2014 (HD) ''(lit. See the difference! )''CCTV PусскийCGTN DocumentaryEnglish1 January 2011 (SD)7 January 2014 (HD)See the ChangesCCTV Documentary International=== Pay channels ===All channels below are using Mandarin Chinese. The previous 13 channels are owned by Central Digital Television Media Co., Ltd., their HD signals were launched on 23 September 2019, and their SD signals were shutted down in 2020.The last 3 channels are owned by CND Films.NameFormatLaunch dateNoteCCTV-TV GuideHD: 1080i 16:91 November 2004De facto free for some local cable transmitters.CCTV-Storm Football1 January 2004CCTV-Women's FashionCCTV-Hygiene and HealthyWas co-operate by SMG.CCTV-The First Theater9 August 2004HBO programmes available in golden times.CCTV-Storm TheaterCCTV-Storm MusicCCTV-Nostalgia Theater1 November 2004CCTV-Golf and Tennis1 January 2005CCTV-Cultural FeaturesCCTV-World Geography14 March 2005CCTV-Billiards6 May 2012CCTV-Weapon Technology8 May 2006CNDF-Old StoriesSD: 576i 4:38 August 2005CNDF-Discovery1 January 2007CNDF-Middle Students4 May 2009=== Overseas channels ===None of channels below are available for subscribers within Mainland China.NameLanguageFormatLaunch dateNoteDaifuStandard Chinese and JapaneseSD: PAL 576i 16:9 (extruded)HD: 1080i27 May 1998 (SD)1 June 2014 (HD)Japanese edition of CCTV-4, available in Sky PerfecTV!CCTV EntertainmentStandard ChineseSD: PAL 576i 16:91 October 2004Overseas edition of CCTV-3CCTV Chinese OperaOverseas edition of CCTV-11CCTV-1 Hong Kong & Macau EditionStandard Chinese and CantoneseSD: PAL 576i 16:9 (pure)HD: 1080i1 March 2011 (SD)29 May 2017 (HD)For both: Due to copyright and trademark concerns, all advertisements and some programmes of original CCTV-1 are censored, and replaced by local, mainly Cantonese-speaking, advertisements and other news programmes.Hong Kong Edition: Was transmitted by ATV before 1 April 2015, later de facto only available for some pay channel networks, such as now TV 541, until 23 May 2017 where RTHK took over the channel spectrum as RTHK33.Macau Edition: Transmitted by TDM, was using original CCTV-1 spectrum during 20 December 2016 through 29 May 2017.=== Former channels ===* China 3D TV Test Channel - a television channel broadcasting various digital 3D television content. *CCTV High Definition Test - The first HDTV channel in the Great China area, as well as the world's first Chinese-speaking HDTV channel, launched on 1 October 1999, closed date 2013*CCTV Security information - pay channel*Universe Satellite Network*GalaxySatellite (TM)*plus an additional 10+ advanced integration satellite providers if possible
International broadcasts It is possible to receive channels CCTV-4 (Mandarin channel targeted at an overseas Chinese audience), CGTN (targeting an English-speaking audience), CGTN Spanish (in Spanish) and CGTN French (in French) outside China by using a Digital Video Broadcast signal (plus additional broadcast support together with Dolby Stereo, Dolby Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital Advanced Sound Quality Definition and Improvement System Support, technologized and developed by Dolby Laboratories, Datasat, and the SDDS for digital audio system supportments). CCTV has just recently switched from analog to DVB primarily due to better signal quality and the ability to charge for reception (about US$10 per year subscription). The overseas channels are widely available across many cable and satellite providers.
See also * China Global Television Network* China Network Television
References
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