PBS Intl. has signed a multi-year broadcast and distribution deal with China Educational Television, the country's largest educational TV media and distance education platform.
CETV, which is tied in to China's ministry of education and operates five TV channels and 11 IPTV channels, will give PBS-branded programming a daily primetime slot on CETV-3, covering the Beijing metropolitan area.
The series, with the working title "Clear View," will be produced and presented by Chinese anchor and producer Jing Fang, and will bow in January.
The deal also means that CETV's distribution arm, Beijing Zhongxian Media, will act as PBS Intl.'s sales agent in mainland China, with access to its library of more than 500 hours of documentary, children's and lifestyle programming.
"This is, by far, the largest deal we have done in China," PBS Intl. VP Tom Koch said in a statement, adding that he was very impressed with the resources CETV was putting into promoting and advertising PBS Intl. programming.
CETV president Kang Ning said the co-operation was not just about programming distribution, "but about developing a longterm strategic partnership, and contributing to the development and production of global educational programming."