Chinese radio launches in Canberra
Jun 08
Programming from the state-owned China Radio International (CRI) is now being heard in Canberra with the launch of radio station FM88.
The new Canberra station is the latest in a Chinese-language media empire in Australia which includes eight Chinese-language newspapers across Australia as well as radio stations in Melbourne (1341 kHz) and Perth (104.9 MHz). Attending the radio station’s launch in Canberra were Wang Gengnian, president of CRI, and the Chinese ambassador to Australia, Zhang Junsai.
The Melbourne radio station, 3CW, has been broadcasting for ten years. The Perth station launched two years ago.
The radio stations include programming from CRI as well as Chinese-language content from BBC and the Voice of America but also include locally-produced content such as talkback.
Leading the organisation in Australia is Melbourne-based Tommy Jiang, a former soccer player who relocated to Australia 21 years ago. Mr Jiang said that the local Chinese communities “love to talk and find out about Australian politics, about relations with China, about lifestyle issues – including of course restaurants and real estate”:
“This is our country now, and we have to understand everything about it to enjoy life here – we need to go beyond the small world of the Chinese community. And we want Australian people to understand what’s happening in China.”
The radio stations also broadcast programs that teach Chinese.
Source: The Australian
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TelevisionAU June 8th 2009