Phoenix Television

Phoenix Television is a majority state-owned television network that operates Mandarin and Cantonese-language channels serving mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and other regions with significant Chinese-speaking audiences. It is headquartered in Shenzhen and Hong Kong and is also registered in the Cayman Islands.

The network was founded by Liu Changle (劉長樂), who previously served as an officer and political instructor in the People's Liberation Army with the 40th Group Army.[1] Following the Cultural Revolution, Liu worked as a journalist for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-controlled China National Radio and maintained close ties with the CCP leadership.[2] He is also a standing member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.[3]

Phoenix Television identifies itself as a Hong Kong media organisation,[4] but it holds a non-domestic television programme services licence in Hong Kong.[5] The majority of its customers and non-current assets are located in mainland China.[6] Its largest shareholder is Bauhinia Culture, a company wholly owned by the Chinese government.[7] Freedom House characterises Phoenix Television as pro-Beijing, while Stephen McDonell of BBC News noted that it is "sometimes more liberal than its mainland counterparts".[8]

The company's head offices are located in Shenzhen, Guangdong, and Tai Po, Hong Kong, with correspondent offices in Beijing and Shanghai. The Shenzhen office produces about half of its television output.[9]

History

Phoenix Television originated as a joint venture between Star TV in Hong Kong, a private company in China, and China Central Television.[10]

The Phoenix Chinese Channel was launched on 31 March 1996, replacing Star Chinese Channel in Hong Kong and mainland China.[11] Broadcasts in Singapore began on 1 December 1996 via the Singapore Cable Vision network. In its early years, the Phoenix Chinese Channel also carried Mandarin-dubbed American series during primetime hours, including The X-Files and Baywatch.[12]

Phonenix CNE began broadcasting in Europe on 1 August 1999, and the Phoenix North America Chinese Channel launched for audiences across the Americas on 1 January 2001. In 2005, a California-based broadcast and engineering director for the network, Tai Wang Mak, was arrested for conspiring with his brother, Chi Mak, to act as an intelligence agent for China.[13] He was sentenced to ten years in prison in 2008.[14][15]

On 28 March 2011, Phoenix Television launched the Phoenix Hong Kong Channel, which broadcasts exclusively in Cantonese.[16]

On 31 March 2011, Phoenix InfoNews Channel was recognised with a Peabody Award for its "Report on a New Generation of Migrant Workers in China".[17]

In 2011, Phoenix New Media partnered with the BBC to distribute the broadcaster's programmes on its digital media platforms. In 2012, it entered into a similar agreement with the National Film Board of Canada, under which 130 animated shorts and documentary films were made available digitally in China.[18]

In October 2013, 21st Century Fox sold its 12.15% stake in Phoenix Television (held through Star) to TPG Capital for HK$1.66 billion (US$213 million).[19][20][21]

In February 2016, Phoenix Television broadcast forced confessions of kidnapped Hong Kong booksellers.[22][23][24]

In June 2020, the FCC ordered XEWW-AM, owned by Phoenix Television, to cease broadcasting in the United States.[25]

The Taiwanese government designated Phoenix Television as a Chinese government-funded company in April 2022 and required it to cease operations in Taiwan.[26]

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a Phoenix Television reporter was among the few foreign journalists to embed with the Russian military.[27]

Corporate governance

See also

• List of programs broadcast by Phoenix Television

External links