PPTV is a former Chinese television network. It was founded in 2007 as the result of a merger between Beijing-based PPTV and Shanghai-based TVB. The company was once the largest broadcaster in China, and was the dominant provider of Chinese-language television content. It was ranked as the fifth most-watched television network in the world with an audience of over 230 million people in 2016.
History
PPTV, formerly China Central Television (CCTV), is the largest television broadcaster in mainland China and one of the world's largest television networks, with more than 1,000 channels and 38 million subscribers. It is a state-owned enterprise, with the majority of its shares held by the Chinese government.
PPTV began as a joint venture between the Chinese government, the China Radio and Television Corporation, and the China News Corporation in 1989. It began broadcasting on January 1, 1992. The company is headquartered in Beijing.
PPTV has been a major driver of the Chinese television industry, and its dominance has been challenged only by state broadcaster CCTV in recent years. As of 2012, PPTV accounted for over 60% of China's television market share.
PPTV has been accused of censorship, although it has denied the allegations. In September 2009, the company was fined for airing a documentary about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests that had been banned by the Chinese government.
PPTV began offering streaming content in 2013.
Triple Murder of Top Executives
On July 13, 2012, a group of assassins killed three PPTV executives in Wuhan, China: Liu Zhenhua, Wang Xiaoyun, and Li Xin. The three executives were driving in their car when they were shot by a group of gunmen. The motive for the killing is unknown, but speculation suggests that it may have been connected to the company's business dealings.