ABSTRACT
Although relatively low in terms of media consumption per capita, China nevertheless has the largest media system in the world. In 2001, there were 2,000 newspapers, 9,000 magazines, 2,000 radio channels, and 3,600 television channels across the country. Newspapers publish nearly 200 million copies per issue, which translates to about 500 million readers nationwide. The broadcast media enjoy an even larger audience, with 700 million listeners for radio and 1 billion viewers for television. The national rate of cable subscription is 40%, with the rate going over 70 to 80% in most cities. Members of cable households have access to thirty or more television channels, whereas noncable viewers can typically receive five to eight terrestrial channels. Beyond these print and broadcast outlets, the Chinese media operate 2,000 online editions serving a total of 60 million Internet users domestically.
