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131 channels
Chinese television is a state-directed universe with clear hierarchies. At the top sits CCTV, the national broadcaster, whose flagship Xinwen Lianbo news program at 19:00 remains mandatory viewing for millions, its scripted, propaganda-aligned delivery is a nightly ritual that hasn’t changed tone in decades. Below CCTV, provincial and municipal stations fill the schedule with local news, dialect programming, and regional dramas. Entertainment runs heavily toward historical costume epics, reality competitions (often licensed from abroad but heavily adapted), and variety shows fronted by celebrity hosts. Primetime stretches from 19:00 to 22:00, with family audiences watching together, living room TVs still dominate despite mobile growth. Dubbing is the norm for imported content; subtitling is rare except for minority-language broadcasts. The channel mix reflects state priorities: there are dedicated education channels (CCTV-10), children’s channels with strict moral content, and a strong news/sports axis (CCTV-5 for live events, CCTV-4 for international news). The recent rise of IPTV and streaming is pulling younger viewers away, but live TV remains the central information tool in rural and older demographics. Notably, China also broadcasts in Tibetan, English, Persian, and French, a soft-power effort that targets both domestic minorities and overseas audiences, setting it apart from neighbors like Japan or South Korea where private commercial networks set the tone.