Chinese TV viewers now have two hours of fast-paced news and information available every day, with the launch of the new Mandarin language television program, VOA Weishi, or VOA Satellite TV.
The daily program goes beyond the latest headlines with live reports from VOA correspondents in China and around the world including in the United States, London, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Moscow and Tokyo. The show is available on satellite and online.
VOA's Bo Xu
Innovative program elements provide viewers with information they can’t get on state owned stations. One segment, Error 404, focuses on Chinese censorship, showing the audience what is actually being blocked by China’s Internet filters and why. The segment shows everything from political tweets that have been pulled off the web, to blocked sites and censored YouTube videos.
“This new format gives our audience a uniquely American blend of news and information,” says VOA China Branch Chief Sasha Gong. “We have interview segments, features on American institutions, and hard hitting reports on issues like 2nd Amendment gun rights, free speech, and US-China relations. We want to show our audience what freedom can do,” Gong says.
Reaction to the program has been positive, with one viewer writing to say it “offers different opinions, which I like to hear.”
“Audience research indicates direct-to-home satellite is the way more and more people are getting their news around the world,” says VOA Director David Ensor. “We want to reach out to that audience with solid reporting and programs that tackle tough issues,” Ensor says.
TV Control Room
Although satellite dishes are restricted in China, more than 10 percent of the adult population has access to a dish, according to independent surveys.
Segments from VOA Weishi are also distributed on VOA websites, mobile apps and social media platforms, where millions of Chinese viewers often turn for news and information.
For more about this program contact Kyle King at the VOA Public Relations office in Washington at (202) 203-4959 or write to kking@voanews.com. Find more information about our programs at www.insidevoa.com, or visit our main English website at www.voanews.com.
