CCTV America represents the latest initiative in China Central Television's (CCTV) effort to grow its English language news channel for a global audience seeking diversified perspectives on significant global issues. CCTV America's programming aims to inform, engage, and provide debate on a range of issues of relevance to American and global viewers with a particular interest in China and Asia. It will highlight coverage in underrepresented regions of the world with diversified perspectives and alternative views.
CCTV America will initiate its new operation by producing three programs: Biz Asia America, The Heat and Americas Now.
Biz Asia America will air Monday through Friday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The program will be anchored in Washington, D.C., and a studio at NASDAQ in New York. The program aims to combine reporting of economic and financial issues in North and South America with those from China and the Asian region. The program will be anchored in Washington by Phillip Yin. Yin comes to CCTV America from Bloomberg Television and CNBC where he reported and anchored in Hong Kong and Singapore. With a Masters of Business Administration from Georgetown University, Yin's strong financial background lies in institutional strategy and investments, having served in positions at Unifund and Charles Schwab.
"From a viewer's standpoint, what they will see is a very clean show that gives them all the top business headlines from Asia, Europe and America and does not give you just the numbers, but something more in depth and more insightful," said Phillip Yin, anchor Biz Asia America.
A talk and debate format program, The Heat, will air on Saturday, and a news magazine program, Americas Now, will air on Sunday. The weekend programs will air at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
The Heat debuts at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time February 11th, and will focus on penetrating interviews with internationally known guests plus segments presenting a vigorous exchange of views on topical subjects. In its first few weeks, the program will tackle such diverse topics as China's place in the U.S. presidential elections, U.S. immigration policy, and Chinese investment and trade in the U.S. state of Iowa.
On Sundays, CCTV America will feature a unique magazine program. Americas Now will focus on issues in Central and South America. Recognizing an absence of in-depth reporting from the region in the U.S. media, Americas Now will provide long-form investigations across Latin America. The program debuts Sunday, February 12th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Produced by veteran "60 Minutes" producer Barbara Dury, Americas Now will feature the reports of more than a dozen correspondents stationed in the region. Senior Latin America Correspondent, Michael Voss, after more than 20 years at the BBC, is one of the primary correspondents. Voss will work from his base in Havana, Cuba.
Barbara Dury, Senior Producer Americas Now, said, "We are developing a magazine program with very high standards. We have correspondents all over Latin America. We have a correspondent in Cuba at a time when there are some very exciting things going on. It's in a big transition. I have been very excited to see the quality of the pieces coming out of Cuba and really all over Latin America. Peru. Columbia. Brazil."
The programming coming out of the Washington, D.C., hub will be produced by approximately 100 journalists in 15 bureaus in North and South America. CCTV America's programming will reach more than 100 million viewers in 120 countries. CCTV America will ultimately offer viewers four hours of programming every day.
"We uphold traditional journalistic values," said Ma Jing, Director General, CCTV America. "We consider accuracy, objectivity, truthfulness, and public accountability more important than anything else. We will strive to provide good journalism, high quality television, and alternative views."
Among the other CCTV America reporters covering the region are Michelle Begue in Bogota, Colombia (formerly with V-Me Noticias), Stephen Gibbs in Sao Paulo, Brazil (formerly with BBC), Morgan Neill in Mexico City, Mexico (formerly with CNN), Dan Collyns in Lima, Peru (formerly with BBC), and Nitza Perez in Miami, FL (formerly with Russia Today).
CCTV America has also assembled in Washington, D.C. a strong team of international broadcast journalists to present the news throughout the week.
Anchoring from Washington, D.C. will be Mike Walter and Elaine Reyes. Walter, a familiar figure to morning news viewers in the Washington, D.C. area, is an Emmy Award winner formerly with CBS affiliate WUSA. Reyes comes to CCTV America from NBC station WRC in Washington. Earlier while working in Atlanta, she was active on the board of the Asian-American Journalists Association.
Other Washington based reporters include Nina Donaghy, Jessica Stone, and Sean Callebs. They bring with them years of experience with major networks: the BBC, Fox News, and CNN. They will be joined by Wang Guan (Political reporter) and Zou Yun (Business reporter), who have relocated to Washington, D.C. from Beijing.
Jim Laurie, Executive Consultant, said, "Among other things in its coverage plans here, there will be the unique perspective of China and China's growing role in the world."
CCTV America will provide programming to CCTV News, which is part of China Central Television (CCTV). CCTV News currently reaches more than 100 million viewers in 120 countries and territories through cable and satellite.
CCTV News is available through MHz channel 3 in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as on COMCAST (Channel 273), DISH TV (Channel 265), and an increasing number of distribution outlets. CCTV News plans a greater North American presence on-air and online in the coming year.