More than 50 million Chinese, mostly in the rural areas, were unable to receive TV or radio broadcasts at the end of 2005, down from 148 million in 1997, according to a government official.

"The government invested 3.44 billion yuan (US$430 million) over the last eight years in expanding radio and TV transmission to outlying areas. So far, 97 million people have benefited," State Administration of Radio, Film and Television spokesman Zhu Hong told the annual session of the China Association for Science and Technology.

The percentage of Chinese who could watch TV rose to 95.81 percent at the end of 2005 from 87.68 percent in 1997, Zhu told a forum on transmission technology for rural areas, while the percentage who could listen to radio programs had risen to 94.48 percent from 86.02 percent.

The project to transmit radio and television to all villages was launched in 1998 to keep rural people informed of government policies, current affairs and other information to enrich their lives and raise living standards.

(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2006)