CCTV6

China Movie Channel refers both to a government-affiliated production agency and to the movie-focused television channel CCTV-6 operated under its direction. The agency, officially known as the "Satellite TV Show Production Facility",, is a division of the National Radio and Television Administration of the People's Republic of China. It is responsible for producing content and managing operations for CCTV-6, a dedicated movie channel that forms part of the broader China Central Television system.

CCTV-6, also branded as the China Central Television Movie Channel, occupies a unique position as both a government-run propaganda outlet and a commercial entertainment broadcaster. It uses the branding and logo of China Central Television (CCTV), which is a subsidiary of the China Media Group. The channel plays a dual role: supporting the state’s cultural and ideological messaging through film while also catering to public entertainment demand. It has aired major state productions such as the CCTV New Year's Gala since 1996, and frequently broadcasts state-approved domestic and international films.

Nationwide coverage is achieved through encrypted satellite signals via ChinaSat 6B and ChinaSat 9, and the channel's reach extends to digital cable and IPTV networks. In addition to its flagship free-to-air channel, the Movie Channel also operates the CHC (China Home Cinema) series of premium pay-TV movie channels—including "CHC Home Cinema", "CHC Action Movie", and "CHC Movie Fan". It manages the professional film portal " 1905.com" and publishes the print and digital magazine ''China Screen''.

History

In 1993, director Li Qian-kuan and 29 deputies of the National People's Congress proposed the establishment of a "China Movie Channel" during the first session of the 8th National People's Congress. In June 1994, with approval from the former Ministry of Radio, Film and Television of the People's Republic of China, the directly affiliated institution Film Satellite Channel Program Production Center (commonly known as the Movie Channel Program Center) was established.

On November 30, 1995, at 8:30 AM, the Movie Channel commenced trial broadcasts, airing 16 hours of programming daily. The channel utilized dual identifiers: the "CCTV +6" logo in the top-left corner and "Movie Channel" in the bottom-right. Initially, during advertisements and promotional segments, the "Movie Channel" logo was absent but was later replaced with a graphical logo. From January 1, 1996, the channel officially launched under the call sign Ministry of Radio, Film and Television's Movie Satellite Channel, becoming part of the China Central Television channel lineup and broadcasting nationwide.

In 1998, following the Institutional reform of the State Council, the former Ministry of Radio, Film and Television was downgraded to a ministerial-level institution directly under the State Council, becoming the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television. Consequently, the official name of the Movie Channel was changed to State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television's Movie Satellite Channel.

In 2004, the China Movie Channel Program Center launched the digital pay-TV channel China Movie Channel and the "China Movie Channel" (CMC) aimed at North American audiences through its subsidiary Huacheng Film & Television Digital Program Co., Ltd. In 2005, the "China Movie Channel" (CMC) was launched in Hong Kong. Starting January 1, 2006, the channel began 24-hour broadcasting, and in the same year, CHC HD Movie Channel and CHC Action Movie Channel were launched. In addition, the Program Center also began offering Video On Demand (VOD) services. It has since developed into a multi-channel, high-quality, and clustered program platform.

On September 28, 2012, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television approved the channel's simultaneous broadcast in both SD and HD. In December of the same year, the HD version was officially launched. Initially, up until November 25, 2012, China Central Television (CCTV) was responsible for the broadcasting and satellite uplink of the channel. On November 26, 2012, as part of a transition of some CCTV channels to a new site, the program feed responsibility was shifted to the China Movie Channel Program Center, with CCTV only managing the SD uplink. (CCTV ceased backup broadcasting on December 9, 2012.) This resulted in the channel being unable to independently broadcast national mourning programming on April 4, 2020, during the National Day of Mourning, instead simulcasting CCTV-1.

In 2013, as part of a reorganization of State Council institutions, the functions of the General Administration of Press and Publication and the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television were merged to form the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, and the former "SARFT Movie Channel Program Center" was renamed accordingly.

On April 1, 2015, the channel adopted a new gold-colored logo at the lower-right corner.

On September 28, 2018, following the 2018 institutional reform, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television was abolished, and its film and media oversight duties were transferred to the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party. The program center was accordingly renamed to the China Movie Channel Program Center under the Publicity Department of the CCP.

Starting January 1, 2022, the channel was selected by the General Administration of Sport of China as the official television platform for announcing China Sports Lottery results.

Major events

* China Movie Channel Media Awards
* China Film Big Data Ceremony
* Bay Area Rising Moon Film and Music Gala (since 2021 and 2023, co-hosted with Bauhinia Culture Holdings Limited and Phoenix Television)

Channels

Official website

The portal site of the channel is " 1905.com". The domain name "1905" refers to the beginning of Chinese or Chinese-language cinema. In addition to providing news, the website offers digital films produced by the China Movie Channel as well as on-demand streaming for films to which the channel holds online rights.

Special broadcast arrangements

In response to international or domestic events, the Movie Channel sometimes cancels or changes its scheduled programming, broadcasting films related to current affairs, or sometimes films that may be interpreted as critical of the country involved. As a result, Chinese netizens have nicknamed the channel "Princess 6" (六公主). In response, Dong Ruifeng, director of the Programming Department of the Movie Channel under the Publicity Department of the CCP, stated: "In certain special situations, we do make emergency changes in programming. We are using film as an art form to respond to the current times."

Film collaborations

*'' Transformers: Age of Extinction'' (2014) (with Paramount Pictures, Platinum Dunes, and di Bonaventura Pictures)
*'' Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation'' (2015) (with Bad Robot, Skydance Productions, TC Productions, and Alibaba Pictures)
*'' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows'' (2016) (with Nickelodeon Movies, Platinum Dunes, and Alibaba Pictures)

Footnotes

See also

* China Movie Channel Media Awards
* State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television
* State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television
* Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party and China Film Administration
* China Central Television
* China Media Group

References

External links

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China Central Television channels
Government agencies of China
Cinema of China
Television channels and stations established in 1996
Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party