A national cable TV network operator, which is widely believed to also become China's fourth broadband operator, is expected to be officially established before the Spring Festival holidays, which begin on January 31 this year, Beijing News reported Tuesday.
The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television on Saturday appointed Zhao Jingchun, former head of the Henan Administration of Radio, Film and Television, as chairman of the new company, the report said.
Analysts said the new company will serve as the country's fourth broadband operator besides China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, as many local cable TV network operators run wire-based broadband services for households.
But it is difficult for the new company to consolidate all of the local cable TV networks across the country, as many local TV networks are mulling public listings, Zeng Huiming, CEO of sarft.net, a news portal web site for China's broadcasting industry, told Beijing News.
The company was initiated by the State Council in 2010, which said in a statement that "a national cable TV network company will be established," as part of China's efforts to integrate phone, Internet and TV services.
In 2012, the former State Administration of Radio, Film and Television made a proposal that the company will require funding from fiscal subsidies of 80 billion yuan ($13.24 billion), but the proposal was later rejected, the report said.
It again raised public attention after the State Council said in a statement released on August 14, 2013 that China will push forward the establishment of the national cable TV network.