Digitizing the dragon: challenges facing China's television industry

Abstract

China's aggressive strategy to develop a modern economy is matched only by an even more ambitious program of technological development. The Chinese government has earmarked digital broadcasting as the pre-eminent media technology to emerge in China's expanding and diversifying mediascape. Yet, in spite of predictions of 30 million subscribers by 2005 and $220 billion in revenue by 2015, there is still much to do to sell digital broadcasting to consumers and achieve these targets. This study examines the challenges facing China's digital broadcasting industry using the theory of controlled commodification to critique implementation strategies. Emerging from this analysis is a deeper understanding of the contested role of media in China's socialist market economy, which has had an impact on the successful adoption of digital broadcasting at a crucial stage of development.