China's provincial television outfits are consolidating, with the stronger broadcasters piggybacking on the weaker broadcasters' national networks. Earlier this year Hunan TV persuaded Qinghai Satellite tv to carry some of its programmes. Shanghai Media Group secured national carriage for its local business channel by doing a deal with a broadcaster in Ningxia. Gradually, half a dozen strong television companies are emerging. A few are branching out: Shanghai Media Group publishes magazines and offers broadband service. Flush with money, and determined to differentiate themselves from a mass of cheap knock-offs, Chinas larger provincial broadcasters are beginning to import foreign programme formats legitimately. Increasingly t is not enough to have or to borrow) a good idea for a programme broadcasters must create professional-looking content. They must also learn to work with sponsors. New restrictions on television advertising mean that money is flowing into product placement. Helen Yang, president f Vivid Media, an independent production moved from making programmes to creating marketing solutions for companies. That adds a layer of complexity, favouring the biggest outfits. Chinese broadcasters are quickly learning how to produce slick-looking television. In a few years, predicts Ms Yang at Shanghai Media group, the will be able to develop compelling programme formats of their then, who knows? The notion of China as an exporter of culture seem far-fetched. But it was once hard to imagine the country churning out advanced telecoms equipment. Chinas tv Dating Shows: For Love or Money For a small but increasingly high-profile num ber of young women in modern-day china, true love is all about the numbers. a potential suitor may have a good sense of humor and reasonable good looks, but what they say really matters is if he owns an apartment and how many square feet it is. A sizable bank account is also a must, and some say, so is a luxury car. // At least, thats the way things look if you watch Chinese television these days though china was slow to pick on the reality-programming trend, a host of dating shows and american Idol copycats have emerged in recent years, capturing millions of viewers but angering critics who say the programs promote negative, non-traditional values among ur ban Chinese youth. The latest reality-TV scandal to transfix the nation involves Ma Nuo, a 22-year-old model from Beijing who appeared on China's most popular dating show, If You are the One. she haughtily rejected an offer from a male contestant to take a ride on his bike, epitomizing the materialism that some say has come to define the nouveau riche of the post-1980s generation I'd rather cry in a bMw car than laugh on the backseat of a bicycle " Ma told her suitor with a giggle //The televised smackdown swept the Internet and made an instant celebrity of Ma, who left the show without a match but has since entertained numerous television offers and become one of the most talked-about womenChina’s provincial television outfits are consolidating, with the stronger broadcasters piggybacking on the weaker broadcasters’ national networks. Earlier this year Hunan TV persuaded Qinghai Satellite TV to carry some of its programmes. Shanghai Media Group secured national carriage for its local business channel by doing a deal with a broadcaster in Ningxia. Gradually, half a dozen strong television companies are emerging. A few are branching out: Shanghai Media Group publishes magazines and offers broadband service. Flush with money, and determined to differentiate themselves from a mass of cheap knock-offs, China’s larger provincial broadcasters are beginning to import foreign programme formats legitimately. Increasingly it is not enough to have (or to borrow) a good idea for a programme; broadcasters must create professional-looking content. They must also learn to work with sponsors. New restrictions on television advertising mean that money is flowing into product placement. Helen Yang, president of Vivid Media, an independent production company, says her company has moved from making programmes to creating marketing solutions for companies. That adds a layer of complexity, favouring the biggest outfits. Chinese broadcasters are quickly learning how to produce slick-looking television. In a few years, predicts Ms Yang at Shanghai Media Group, they will be able to develop compelling programme formats of their own. And then, who knows? The notion of China as an exporter of culture may seem far-fetched. But it was once hard to imagine the country churning out advanced telecoms equipment. China's TV Dating Shows: For Love or Money? For a small but increasingly high-profile number of young women in modern-day China, true love is all about the numbers. A potential suitor may have a good sense of humor and reasonable good looks, but what they say really matters is if he owns an apartment and how many square feet it is. A sizable bank account is also a must, and, some say, so is a luxury car. // At least, that's the way things look if you watch Chinese television these days. Though China was slow to pick up on the reality-programming trend, a host of dating shows and American Idol copycats have emerged in recent years, capturing millions of viewers but angering critics who say the programs promote negative, non-traditional values among urban Chinese youth. The latest reality-TV scandal to transfix the nation involves Ma Nuo, a 22-year-old model from Beijing who appeared on China's most popular dating show, If You Are the One. She haughtily rejected an offer from a male contestant to take a ride on his bike, epitomizing the materialism that some say has come to define the nouveau riche of the post-1980s generation. "I'd rather cry in a BMW car than laugh on the backseat of a bicycle," Ma told her suitor with a giggle. // The televised smackdown swept the Internet and made an instant celebrity of Ma, who left the show without a match but has since entertained numerous television offers and become one of the most talked-about women