​Chinese TV Partnership Announced in Beijing

We have signed an agreement in China today at the Beijing International Film Festival to enter a partnership with Beijing Television (BTV) to assist them in the production of news, sports and documentary coverage of the next race, with an emphasis on the entry from Qingdao.

“It is the first time we have embarked upon a co-production of this scale, to produce a comprehensive Chinese language documentary series, news, sports and online coverage about the Clipper Race which will focus on the entry from the Olympic sailing city of Qingdao,” explained Global Business and Communications Director Jonathan Levy who participated in the signing ceremony in Beijing today.

In the 2013-14 edition of the Clipper Race BTV Documentary Channel followed crew member Vicky (Kun) Song when she became the first Chinese woman to sail around the world, in a highly acclaimed documentary series. Building on the success of this collaboration, the new partnership will follow every twist and turn of the Chinese crew’s adventure as their tough global challenge unfolds across the BTV network, culminating in the ‘behind-the-scenes’ real life documentary series.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on behalf of BTV Documentary Channel by Mr Chen Dali: “This is a very exciting partnership with the organisers of this remarkable event. We will be able to follow the human story of this unique challenge as the Chinese crew complete their training and embark on this life-changing experience.”

BTV is available nationally on its satellite channels and online, as well as a rapidly growing cable distribution across China. Its Documentary Channel is China’s first and Beijing’s only specialty channel which broadcasts exclusively in HD format with 5.1 surround sound. It is also one of only two documentary channels authorised to cover the whole territory of China.

New innovative services are also being pioneered in China by BTV. They have established Beijing Internet Broadcasting Station Work Base, which incorporates web, IPTV, mobile terminal services and Weibo/Wechat social media platforms.

Mr Levy added: “I am looking forward to working with Beijing Television on this ground breaking Chinese production partnership. I am confident it will generate a compelling multi-channel viewing experience culminating in a high quality real life adventure series.”

A BTV cameraman is already undergoing training in the UK with some of the Chinese crew in preparation for the next race and will attend the crew allocation event this weekend at Portsmouth Guildhall.