China Media Monitor Headlines Archives

Beijing Ringier International Advertising Company Ltd on November 30 re-launched itself as Ringier China, a wholly owned foreign invested company 100% owned by Ringer AG in Switzerland. The multinational media company said the re-branding reflects and leverages Ringier's on-going business growth from a regional company 10 years ago to a national company today. It also reflects the company's continuous long term commitment in China. Registration of the Shanghai and Guangzhou branches will be finalized by April 2010.

Mainland film My Airhostess Roommate (He Kongjie Tongju De Rizi) won three awards at the Monaco International Film Festival in early December, according to the China Film Group. In addition to the Special Mention Angel Film Award, the Best Producer award went to Jiang Qingmin for his work on the film and Best Newcomer went to the two lead actors, Chen Bolin and Wang Luodan. The film is the big screen adaptation of a popular Chinese novel with the same name.

Paramount purchased the TV series and film adaptation rights to popular Chinese novel Notes About Robbing Tombs (Daomu Biji), reports Tiantian News. Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount will share the revenues from any content produced with author Nanpai Sanshu.

The State Administration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT) has shut down almost 30 BitTorrent download sites as part of its latest campaign against unlicensed video sites and online pornography. Before the crackdown, more than 100 BitTorrent download sites were operating in China. SARFT instructed all online video operators to apply for a license and remove all pornographic content in a circular released in December 2007.

CCTV.com and Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd (SNDA) plan to launch their first joint online game - Across the World II (Zong Heng Tianxia II) – in the near future, according to CCTV.com on December 17. SNDA developed Across the World I (Zong Heng Tianxia I) in 2007, which ranked in the Best Web Games list produced by the China Game Industry Association. CCTV.com has previously announced plans to enter China's online game industry.