Foreign media companies are allowed to step into TV production in China

The State Administration of Radio Film and Television has announced the "Provisional management regulation for Sino-foreign joint ventures, co-production of TV programs". ("the Regulation")

Starting from 28 November 2004, foreign media companies are allowed to invest in local television broadcast and film production enterprises.

According to the Regulation, foreign enterprise could form a joint venture enterprise with the local television and film production company, with the Chinese party must hold at least 51% of the stake.

The Regulation also prohibit the joint venture enterprise from producing news and current affairs programs, and limited them to produce program like forum, column, variety shows, and animation etc. Furthermore, the number of Chinese-theme programs should not less than two-third of the total program produced every year.

Enterprises from HKSAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan or other economic organizations that plan to form joint ventures with local television and film production companies should also follow this Regulation.

中國國家廣電總局公佈《中外合資、合作廣播電視節目製作經營企業管理暫行規定》(以下簡稱"規定")。

今年11月28日以後，外資媒體公司可以入股中國的廣播電視節目製作經營企業。

根據《規定》，外資企業可以在中國境內合資、合作設立專門從事或兼營廣播電視節目製作發行業務，而中方持股不得少於51%。

在製作節目內容方面，《規定》仍然作出限制，包括合營企業只可以製作專題、專欄、綜藝、動畫片等廣播電視節目，不能製作新聞類節目。合營企業每年應當製作不少於節目總量2/3的中國題材的廣播電視節目。

香港特別行政區、澳門特別行政區和臺灣地區的企業或其他經濟組織與境內機構合資、合作設立廣播電視節目製作經營企業的，同樣依照本《規定》執行。