China Central Television (CCTV) is the national TV network of the People's Republic of China. CCTV went on the air on a trial basis on May 1, 1958. The station officially started regular transmissions on September 2 the same year. It began broadcasting color TV programs through PAL-D System in 1973.

In early 1988, CCTV moved from the compound of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television to its new location near the beautiful Yuyuantan Lake. The new CCTV occupies an area of about 11 hectares. Its main building is 110 meters high with 24 stories and a total floor space of 84,000 square meters. CCTV had 3,900 full-time employees(including those working with its direct affiliates) as of the end of 1995.

CCTV currently has 8 channels, broadcasting 138 hours of programs daily. CCTV-1 broadcasts a comprehensive range of programmes, with the emphasis on news and current affairs. CCTV-2 focuses on economic, social and educational topics.CCTV-3 airs operas and music. CCTV-4, also known as CCTV international, presents a variety of programming targeted at overseas viewers. CCTV-5 is a sports channel. CCTV-6 is for movies. CCTV-7 is a combination channel for children, agriculture, the military, and science subjects. CCTV-8 is solely devoted to TV dramas. The coverage of CCTV-1 now reaches over 84% of the total population of China, with the number of regular viewers exceeding 900 million, who own 280 million TV sets.

CCTV has a staff composed of experienced professionals, skilled workers and people with special talents. It also boasts of the art techniques and facilities, including 25 TV studios, 2 audio studios, 8 outside broadcasting vans, more than 100 post production studios and a wide range of video and audio recording equipment. CCTV has a TV play production center and 2 film studios as well as outdoor sets and facilities of various sizes for TV and film production in Zhuozhou of Hebei Province, Nanhai of Guangdong Province, Weihai of Shandong Province, Wuxi of Jiangsu Province and other localities. With continuous development of the television industry, CCTV has adopted new technology, new techniques and new means to develop popular programs. Many of the top quality shows are still much talked about today. These efforts have not only enriched China's TV programming but also boosted its TV industry during the process of reform and opening up.

All of CCTV's 8 channels use nationwide microwave network and satellite transmission systems to reach domestic and overseas audiences. CCTV-1 covers the whole country through both microwave and satellite transmissions. CCTV-2, CCTV-3, CCTV-5, CCTV-6, CCTV-7 and CCTV-8 transmit programs nationwide through satellite. The programs from CCTV-3, CCTV-5, CCTV-6, CCTV-7 and CCTV-8 are transmitted by one satellite transponder using digital compression technology. CCTV-3,CCTV-5 and CCTV-6 are pay channels accessed by way of authorized encoders. CCTV-3 and CCTV-4 has introduced digital compression technology to transmit its signals via 4 transponders on PAS-2, PAS-3 and PAS-4. Thus achieving global coverage for its broadcasts.

As China's largest and most influential television station, CCTV has established good working relations with major TV stations across the country. It also has established contacts and begun personnel and program exchanges with about 250 television organizations in some 130 countries and regions around the world. CCTV has become a bridge for contacts and exchanges between China and the rest of the world. CCTV has been serving as a window, through which the world gets a better understanding of China.

At a time when the world is entering into the information Age, CCTV is making efforts to increase the number of channel for more and better programs through recruiting new talents. Its commitment can be found in improvements of infrastructures as well as the use of advanced information system and modern management techniques. The CCTV staff confident that they turn their television station into a worldclass broadcaster.