More than 50 million Chinese, mostly in the rural areas, were
unable to receive TV or radio broadcasts at the end of 2005, down
from 148 million in 1997, according to a government official.
"The government invested 3.44 billion yuan (US$430 million) over
the last eight years in expanding radio and TV transmission to
outlying areas. So far, 97 million people have benefited," State
Administration of Radio, Film and Television spokesman Zhu Hong
told the annual session of the China Association for Science and
Technology.
The percentage of Chinese who could watch TV rose to 95.81
percent at the end of 2005 from 87.68 percent in 1997, Zhu told a
forum on transmission technology for rural areas, while the
percentage who could listen to radio programs had risen to 94.48
percent from 86.02 percent.
The project to transmit radio and television to all villages was
launched in 1998 to keep rural people informed of government
policies, current affairs and other information to enrich their
lives and raise living standards.
(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2006)