China's media industry has achieved significant progress in the past 20 years, said a Chinese official at the seventh annual meeting of the International Council of the Museum of Television and Radio Tuesday.

Zhao Qizheng, director of the Council Information Office under the State Council, said that China's media industry had gained much experience in business development and operation in these years.

Figures show that China's television and broadcasting systems have an audience of one billion, and three million square kilometers were covered by Community Antenna Television (CATV) with 100 million CATV users.

Some 16 20 newspaper groups, such as Guangzhou Daily, Economic Daily and Guangming Daily, have also been established.

As an important part of the media industry, network media have also made progress. By the end of 2000, more than 2,000 of the 10,000-plus media organizations nationwide had gone on-line. Experts expected that China's network media would unite with traditional media, and a multimedia news platform would be established in the 21st century.

The Chinese government has shown great concern in developing the media industry. With the aim of carrying out reforms and establishing large media groups, the government has issued documents relating to media financing, overseas cooperation and trans-media development.

Encouraged by the progresses, experts believe that the media industry will become a pillar of the national economy.

(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2002)