State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT)
| Director: | Wang Taihua |
| Vice Directors: | Zhao Shi Zhang Haitao Hu Zhanfan Lei Yuanliang Tian Jin |
| Address: | 2 Fuxingmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District, Beijing 100866 |
| Telephone: | 86-10-8609-2707 |
| Facsimile: | 86-10-8609-2437 |
| E-mail: | sarft@chinasarft.gov.cn |
| Website: | www.sarft.gov.cn |
| Departments: | General Office; Department of Regulation; Film Bureau; Social Management; Personnel and Education; Planning and Finance; Science and Technology; International Cooperation; TV Series Administration; Laws and Regulations; Safety and Security; CCP Committee; General Bureau of Labor Union; Bureau of Retired Officials; Bureau of Inspection and Supervision and Group of Discipline Inspection |
- Research and draft guidelines and policies for China's radio, film, and television sectors;
- Draft industry development plans, supervise and manage transmission of audio and video programs, and administer imported programs for broadcast by radio and TV stations;
- Examine and approve the establishment or revocation of ventures for broadcasting, radio, TV, and movies above the county administrative level; issue and revoke licenses for filming, showing, or distributing movies and serial programs;
- Manage science and technology activities of radio, television, and film and establish relevant technical standards and policies;
- Manage and guide cooperation and exchange with foreign counterparts
SARFT was created in March 1998 through the downgrading of the Ministry of Radio, Film, and Television. In July 1998 the State Council ruled that MII would take charge of the overall planning and administration of the national TV broadcasting network, including the country's more than 1,500 cable TV systems. SARFT was then placed in a subservient role, responsible for the day-to-day implementation and enforcement of these policies. MII and SARFT have been at loggerheads ever since, fighting for control of China's lucrative telecommunications and media resources.
SARFT, directly under the State Council, is the administrative body in charge of issues regarding the country's radio, film, and television industries. SARFT approves the content of radio and TV programs and films, oversees film imports, and stipulates the proportion of time allotted for foreign TV programs. It also authorizes the establishment of cable channels and the installation of head-ends in cable networks. Finally, SARFT controls the access to and supervises the operations of satellite and cable networks.
At the same time, it directly supervises China National Radio, China Radio International, China Central Television (CCTV), the China Film Administrative Bureau, and their affiliates. Other organizations under SARFT's supervision include: China Record Co.; China Broadcasting Arts Troupe; China Council for TV Art; the Design Institute of SARFT; the Broadcasting Science Academy; the Radio and Television Publishing House; the Beijing Broadcasting Institute; and the Beijing Film Academy.
In a move to strengthen SARFT's hand in ongoing political battles, the State Council established the China Radio, Film, and Television Group (CRFTG) in December 2001 as part of plan to promote cable network consolidation and the merger of cable, wireless, Internet, and satellite TV systems under SARFT's control. SARFT's efforts have received strong backing from certain quarters within the State Council, which view a national cable network as a rival to China Telecom's monopoly in fixed-line services and as a potent means to control the future dissemination of information to the Chinese masses.
CRFTG's primary assets are existing SARFT cable broadcast facilities, including CCTV, China National Radio, China Radio International, and multiple film production companies. Transmission components were reorganized under the China Broadcasting Network Co. (CBN) under CRFTG, which owns more than 3 million cable lines and broadcasting rights to 46 TV and 100 radio channels.
Reorganization of SARFT resources under CRFTG is also related to the establishment of a central broadcasting platform. The platform, under the China International Television Corp., requires both content providers and cable operators to funnel through one primary gateway. Ostensibly, it was created to increase SARFT's revenues but it also allows greater control of content.
Because of declining TV ad revenues, SARFT has begun to focus on broadband services and the upgrading of cable networks into high-speed two-way communications networks. SARFT has also banned foreign investment in its radio and cable networks. Though SARFT permits domestic investment in its backbone network and value-added services, it does not allow similar practices in its local access networks or basic transmission services.
Return to PART VI: State Council Directly Administered Offices