China to merge radio and television networks

China’s State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) will merge television and radio networks into a single cable television network firm, state media reported. The country currently has some 1,000 separate radio and television networks operated by different regional and administrative bureaus. Officials said that the consolidation would begin at the provincial level at the end of 2010, and that the program would end in about three years with a final consolidation at the national level. Officials also said that they hope to leverage the opportunities which they expect to accrue from merging different technologies. In July the government launched a pilot scheme in 12 major cities to merge three broadcasting and telecom networks.