MTV Channel will succeed in the Chinese Market?
Introduction
Pressures of globalisation, such as the development of the world market and international trade resulting to growth in different economies through the operation of production outsourcing and massive exportation of excess products, have taken its toll on the formerly socialist China so that just several years ago, China has opened its market to the world. China has a lot to offer to the world including its bountiful natural resources and raw materials and abundant labour, but it cannot market these resources to the world by closing its market to other economies. Although China cannot be considered as a democratic state, the Chinese government has made allowances for the entry of diverse foreign products and services into China in the same manner that China takes part in the massive exportation of manufactured products. China has made efforts to maintain nationalism and keep its culture in tact amidst the entry of products and services comprising the cultural artefacts of other cultures. However, a look into the young generation of China shows that this may not be possible with young people embracing other cultures as expressed in their choice of clothing, television programs, and music and even in their beliefs, attitudes and behaviour. As such, China, as a society, has undergone rapid and long-term change because these changes have determined the direction of the movement of the Chinese society, one that moves further and further away from its socialist legacy. In addition, future changes are expected to happen in the future as China takes on various roles in the world market.
One of the cultural artefacts that have entered China is music television (MTV), which is a music-centred television channel owned by Viacom, an entertainment firm, since 1986 when the company purchased all MTV networks including MTV, Nickelodeon, and Country Music Television (CMT). As a global company, Viacom sought to achieve the goal of connecting to diverse audiences in different parts of the country. As such, the company sought to bring MTV and the different networks to different markets through the strategy of thinking globally but acting locally. This means that the company introduces the different networks by packaging the global values of the different network brands to fit into the demands of the local culture. It was through this strategy that Viacom was able to enter many regions including North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. Although the MTV networks remained a global brand shared by the different viewers in different markets, the programs are designed to reflect the local culture by including segments featuring local artists and other multi-cultural shows.
The global operation of Viacom can be characterised as involving multi-levels of concessions and integration into the local culture. Depending upon the regulatory measures for the entry of foreign networks in place in the different markets, Viacom engages in agreements with governments and industries in order to enter its targeted foreign market. This creates problematic situations such as the maintenance of the brand equity of its global brands amidst the varying demands of the different markets and regulatory regimes. A recent venture of Viacom for its networks is China. Although, Viacom has experienced success in other Asian countries, the stringent regulatory demands of the Chinese government have caused the company to agree to certain limitations in its program design including the prohibition to mention Taiwan’s independence or allusions to its quest to establish an independent state and other similar content deemed by the Chinese government as likely to incite unwanted disturbance. This creates a dilemma for MTV since it holds the brand value of spearheading counter-cultural action by influencing the creation of sub-cultures based on the idea of freedom of expression.
In this context, the paper focuses on the introduction of the music television (MTV) channel in China, the issues that have emerged after a few years of MTV airing in China, and the current position or performance of MTV in the Chinese market to provide support for discussions on whether MTV will succeed in China in the long-term. The paper is organised as a case study by focusing on MTV, one of the MTV networks owned by Viacom, and the Chinese market.
Characteristics of the Chinese Market
The Chinese population is undergoing rapid changes spurred by the reforms initiated by the government during the 1980s primarily to usher the opening of China to the world market. Although, the political reforms in the 1980s paved the way for cultural change, it was the changes directed by the young people that gave momentum to these changes. This means that the Chinese market is largely comprised and directed by the post-socialist generation that are receptive to different cultures and cultural artefacts.
Overall, an encompassing characteristic of the Chinese market is the greater trend towards individualism, which is the opposite of the socialist collectivism. This means that the Chinese market, directed by the young generation, has accorded greater value to individualism, which finds expression in the popularity of the Chinese slang word ku that is the counterpart of the English slang term ‘cool’. Since these terms hold strong parallelism, the emergence and wide use of ku reflects the linguistic icon of the rebellious tendencies of the young generation that seeks to deviate and transform the cultural values introduced by the older generation. Although, the changes being experienced by China are different from the experiences of the western countries, these changes reflect the common experience of modernisation. The young generation’s acceptance of values resisted by the older generation reflects the patterns of modernisation. By adopting new cultural artefacts, the young generation seeks to differentiate themselves from the older generation. (Moore, 2005)
Individualism finds expression in a number of ways. One is through the acceptance and support for private enterprise. In urban areas such as Beijing and Shanghai, private property and business ownership have received support by majority of the population. As such, individuals exposed to the modern cultural artefacts and modern business firms operated on the assumption of private enterprise. Private property and enterprise ushers the acceptance of competition, in the context of a free market, among similarly positioned business firms and industry members. Except for public enterprises, business firms decide their strategies by considering the interests of its stakeholders and the requirements for competitiveness. Enterprising behaviour also finds expression in the common courses taken up by the young generation that weighs more towards university courses expected to provide them with promising financial gains as a profession and less towards courses that offer little promise for wealth. (Moore, 2005)
Another expression of individualism is youth rebellion expressed through the differentiated youth attitudes and behaviours creating the unpredictability of China’s youth. Many young Chinese individuals have chosen to live in between the safe and daring circumstances and just choosing which way to go when faced by different circumstances. There are other young people that stick by intellectual values while others opt for materialistic values. Some young people also apply self-denial while other members of the same generation have adopted hedonistic living. Although, China’s youth decide individually on the direction they intend to go, it is precisely the variances that reflect the rebelliousness of the youth because this is different from the stringent common direction and path that the older generation have enforced or adhered to. The direction towards a different self-expression is expressed through grunge music as well as shock literature proliferating among the youth despite the efforts of the government to control the exposure of young people to these media. Music, print content, and internet information widely accessed by China’s youth cover topics such as drugs, violence, sex, world-weariness, and generational differences. (Weber, 2002) Youth rebellion encompasses all actions by young people made in the context of enterprising and individualistic attitudes.
Still another expression of individualism is in popular culture. A common representation of popular culture is trends the clothing and fashion, particularly the deviation from the solid colours and plain designs in the previous decades to the use of colours and bold patterns in clothing. Western designs have largely influenced Chinese fashion. Apart from the use of colours and bold prints, designs have also evolved to more non-conservative or more revealing clothes. In urban areas in China, trendy clothes are commonly adorned by the young people including the group of young professional employees. Another representation of popular culture is the books and other literary media popular to the young people such as western television shows and movies. Young people in China have also become apprised of happenings in Hollywood in the same manner as young people around the world. Another representation of popular culture is in dating and relationships. Previously, dominant thinking prohibits dating and the development of romantic relationships in schools or school premises. Teachers and professors spearheaded the maintenance of this policy in schools. However, with the cultural changes occurring in the China, educators have taken a non-interfering stand on dating and romantic relationships between their students. Engagement in relationships that starts with dating comprises an individualistic decision so that the relaxation of the rules by the educators in China, especially in the urban areas, indicates the acceptance of educational institutions of individualism in this sphere. (Moore, 2005)
Changes in the Chinese culture have resulted to the strengthening of the value of individualism and the weakening of the value of collectivism. Moore (2005) explains that the statement that Chinese collectivism has become a misleading term carries a dual implication. On one hand, this carries an air of truth because of the increasing adherence to individualism of the young generation contrary to traditions. On the other hand, some segments of the older generation have sought to maintain traditions amidst the changes espoused by the young generation. This means that the Chinese society has become divided between the younger and older population in terms of values, attitudes and behaviour as well as divided into the urban and rural population. This geographic divide indicates that even young and older populations are further divided into those that express acceptance of modern values and culture and those that prefer the traditional ways. In urban areas, the older population carries a more accepting stand over cultural change while in the rural areas, the older population espouse traditional practices and dominate the extent and direction of cultural change.
These characteristics of the Chinese society carry a number of implications for MTV as a foreign brand entering the market. One implication is a ready market and potential market for expansion of MTV to the Chinese market. The ready market is comprised of segments of the young population that espouse individualism. It is this segment of the market that matches the value of MTV as a global brand, which adheres to individual self expression and freedom. There are also potential market segments for expansion including the older population that have accepted individualism and the young population in the rural areas that are increasingly exposed to foreign and modern cultures. Another implication is on the great possibility that MTV would persist as a brand in China, provided that it can cope up with the demands of the changing culture of China. As long as MTV becomes adaptive to cultural changes and flexible to changes occurring in China’s business environment, this brand should be able to become an established brand in China. Although, it cannot be denied that MTV has to address the issue of brand value in China in support its introduction of a global brand into a local market. The continuity and success of MTV as a brand in China depends upon the extent that it builds its brand amidst the resistance by segments of the population as well as the Chinese government.
Development of Music Television (MTV) as a Global Brand
MTV has become an influential cultural force more than three decades after its inception. MTV emerged in the US as a channel for popular music, visual expression, and cultural artefacts. This was responsible for the introduction of a number of new cultural experiences through the sponsorship and airing of events such as Live Aid, which expressed the fusion of the corporate and music worlds through the corporate sponsorship of artistic or musical events. MTV also introduced and popularised unplugged acoustic performances by different artists in order to bring to people acoustic music usually performed in live performances. It was also MTV that real world viewing by airing live performances in real time and presenting shows aired live covering different themes. (Jones, 2005) Due to the wide range of ‘firsts’ that MTV was able to introduce to its global audience, these has influenced entertainment concepts. Until now, the concept of real world viewing remains popular through reality shows. Live performances by viewing MTV also persists making MTV a viable alternative to listening music in bars or watching concerts.
MTV has achieved the status of a global brand by widely influencing popular culture in different regions. Only a few years after MTV was launched in the United States, it has already expanded into different countries. Its global popularity was primarily attributed to its live airing of Live Aid, the benefit rock concert simultaneously occurring in different locations in the US and around the world to raise funds for the famine-stricken people in Ethiopia. The ability of MTV to cover and air the performances in all these sites increased the popularity of the channel. After Live Aid in 1985, MTV has launched twenty satellite and cable channels including MTV Base, MTV UK, MTV Canada, MTV and MTV2 Europe, MTV and MTV2 Germany, MTV France, MTV Holland, MTV Italy, MTV Russia, MTV Nordic, MTV Romania, MTV Poland, MTV Spain, MTV Latin America, MTV Brazil, MTV South East Asia, MTV Korea, MTV Japan, MTV HK and Taiwan, and MTV China. (Jones, 2005) The extent of expansion of MTV into the global market expresses the wide appeal of its entertainment format to different cultures apart from the recognition that music constitutes a common artefact of culture. It is easy for people in different cultures to accept another culture through music. As a channel providing music from all over the world to different viewers, MTV has become a globally recognised brand that promotes musical and artistic appreciation of various cultures through music. It is this value that enhances the acceptability of MTV even in stringent cultures such as China. This is especially so when MTV also incorporates local culture into its programs.
MTV also has cultivated relationships with different cultures across the globe. MTV first applied the adoption of the local culture into its shows after its experience in establishing MTV in India during the earlier part of the 1990s. MTV initially introduced MTV in India as a copy of its program structure in the United States. However, it did not achieve the number of viewers that it targeted. This was because of the strong competition with local and regional entertainment channels that divided in viewers as well as pulled viewers inclined to watch local shows. As such, in 1996 MTV India was launched as a channel carrying the distinctive global brand but fashioned after the Indian culture. MTV India featured Indian and International artists and themes. A similar strategy was applied by Viacom in introducing MTV in different countries or regions. Now, MTV also adheres to the policy of airing local themes comprising seventy percent of its total daily programming. This strategy deviated from its previous principle of introducing a similar programming format designed to meet the demands of various market segments. (Chalaby, 2002; Jones, 2005) This means that MTV has developed the best practice of giving priority to the local culture and local artists as the effective means of entering a local market instead of introducing a single programming format that the target audience cannot relate to. The key to the success of foreign entertainment ventures is the extent that the target audience relate to the shows to effectively build a consumer base. MTV has recognised this early on and adopted a market entry strategy that expresses its understanding of the local culture by formatting its shows to reflect cultural realities in terms of music and lifestyle to appeal to the local market.
MTV also seeks to reinforce its global impact by partnering with other global business firms and advertisers. In the context of globalisation, local cultures have become fluid and unsettled because of challenges from the global culture. Business firms operating on an international scale or those seeking entry in other countries would greatly benefit from a partnership with a youth-oriented brand as MTV in allowing them entry into local markets. MTV has mutual tie ups with both foreign and local firms, with these firms benefiting through the advertising or featuring of their products in the programming of MTV and MTV enhancing its value by featuring popular and high value brands. This is supported by the business concept of creating a global mall instead of a global culture. This is done by airing similar advertisements to different viewers in various markets so that even with if different audiences watch different MTV shows, they are still exposed to the same advertisements resulting to a similarity, to a certain extent, in the impact to the purchasing decision. (Jones, 2005) MTV has built a global brand through partnerships with global brands that would be able to bring MTV an audience in the local market apart from the sharing of brand value.
MTV achieved its global status by taking local culture and presenting these as part of the global culture. By doing so, MTV has been able to draw the perception of local viewers on the existence of a place for them in the global sphere. MTV develops a sense of global belongingness on the part of its local viewers translated patronage for the MTV global brand. (Jones, 2005) This is supported by the MTV ‘vee-jays’ that are usually of mixed descent and represent the fusion of the local and other cultures. The ‘vee-jays’ have knowledge of the local culture but their mixed descent offers a global perception of the local culture. (Juluri, 2002) By doing this, MTV is able to express its appreciation of the place of the local culture in global affairs.
As a global brand, MTV reinforces its brand by becoming not only a channel for viewing music videos but also a venue for reality programming. This was recognised as the means of drawing audiences to watch its shows for prolonged periods. (Jones, 2005) Airing music videos cannot do this on a wide scale because audiences have different tastes in music so that they only tune in to the channel during the time slot of the segment that airs their preferred music. The shift in reality programming coincided with the popularity of the talk format in the case of radio shows to draw audience response as well as keep audiences listening for the duration of a show in the succeeding show segments. (Andrejevic, 2002) In the case of the MTV, it developed thirty minute shows, still airing music videos, but inviting audience participation by using promotional merchandise such as free concert tickets, cds, posters, and other items related to the segment that the audience would like to win. Vee-jays ask trivia questions and request the audience who knows the answer to call the studio, provide their correct answers, and claim their prizes. Another audience-engaging activity of MTV is a segment that caters only to the live requests of audiences who make their requests by calling. Calls are received live and the audience can also greet friends, peers, family-members, or work colleagues. These live programming features attract audiences especially when these use MTV as a venue for socialisation. (Jones, 2005)
Entry of MTV in the Chinese Market
MTV first entered the Chinese market prior to 1995 as an English-language channel aired in hotels and other establishments that are foreign-owned or primarily cater to foreign consumers (Galupo, 2003). As such, MTV was not really able to make a mark in the Chinese market because of a number of factors. First, it was an English-language channel so that only consumers that understand English are targeted by MTV. Second, it had a limited distribution channel revolving only on hotels and establishments frequented by English-speaking individuals or foreigners. Third, it was introduced as an English-language brand so that it failed to draw the interest of the locals. During this time, there were still no changes in the programming format of the MTV channel aired in China so that there was no impetus, such as developing a sense of alignment or belongingness, for the local audience to tune in to subscribe to the channel or to frequent the establishments where the channel is aired. Although, MTV has been able to make its mark in other markets such as in the United States and European countries, China remained a challenge for Viacom.
By 1995, MTV was also introduced in China through the establishment of MTV Asia that had three entertainment arms including the MTV Mandarin that catered to Mandarin speaking Asian residents, MTV Southeast Asia, and MTV India. The establishment of MTV Asia resulted to the expansion in the market reach of the MTV brand covering one hundred twenty four million residents in twenty-one territories. (Fung, 2006) Although, MTV Mandarin catered to the Asian population
However, in 2003, Viacom planned to expand the sphere of influence of the channel to more locals by entering into an agreement with China Entertainment Television (CETV) a locally owned satellite broadcaster and production firm that has been able to establish long-term strategic relationship with a number of key Chinese authorities (Weber, 2003). In addition, Viacom also made a direct agreement with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the regulatory body for entertainment in China that involves the acquiescence of Viacom to limitations in the content and format of its programming (Galupo, 2003). Moreover, to have another distribution link, Viacom also signed a distribution agreement with Guangdong Cable Networks, a major player in cable connection services in the province. Viacom also intends to make similar deals with other cable companies in other regions to facilitate distribution but no definite schedule has yet to be advanced by the company. (CNN.com. 2003) These agreements were engaged into by MTV to facilitate its entry into the broader Chinese market. Its partnerships with CETV and Guangdong Cable Networks ensure that MTV China would be carried by the satellite company in its service offerings to consumers. This was a key distribution strategy that would bring MTV China to more households. The agreement with the regulatory body of China was made in order to facilitate its valid entry into the Chinese entertainment market even if this meant agreement with certain limitations such as sympathy to the independence sought after by Taiwan and other issues considered as threats to the People’s Republic of China. The implication of this move would be discussed earlier.
MTV China was launched in Gaungdong, a southern province of China so that the coverage of the channel included Hong Kong. The selection of Guangdong province as the market in launching MTV China was supported by fact that this province contributes twenty percent of the country’s gross domestic product. This province comprises the wealthiest province in all of China. (CNN.com, 2003) This means that economically, the economic activities in the province generate significant income for consumers to spend on entertainment from providers such as MTV China. Purchasing power of the target population is important in the decision of MTV in selecting the launching place of MTV China. By launching MTV China in the wealthiest province of China, it increased the probability of consumer adoption of the MTV brand. In addition, the province hosts a population of close to eighty million permanent residents and more than thirty million migrants (CHINAdaily, 2005). A huge population in the economic centre of China means that it is in this province that the target audience of MTV China resides. The province hosts the two cities, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, comprising the primary business and trading centres in the country. This means that not only does the vibrancy of the provincial economy supports the existence of income of the targeted market but also the exposure of the target market to foreign entertainment including the MTV brand that facilitates consumer support for the MTV channel.
In addition to the launch of MTV China in Guangdong province, Viacom also concentrated on the further development of its distribution channels to maximise the exposure of the market to its brand and programs. Apart from continuing the showing of the MTV channel to hotels and establishments catering to English-speaking customers, Viacom also expanded the accessibility of MTV China to luxury hotels, especially foreign-owned by localised hotels and local-owned luxury hotels. Moreover, Viacom also developed distribution links to residences in two ways. One is by syndicating hourly programs to various television and radio stations located in forty-five cities to achieve MTV China exposure to sixty million households. The other is through its efforts to obtain the rights to air MTV China on a twenty-four basis in its cable distribution link. In China, this is issued only to a limited number of foreign entertainment firms. This was a strategic move because twenty-four hour viewing enables MTV to tap into a pool of one hundred million viewers. (CNN.com, 2003) Establishing and developing wide-reaching distribution linkages benefited MTV China in a number of ways including the maximisation of the exposure of the Chinese market to the MTV channel, the enhancement of channel accessibility to tap into potential markets for expansion, and ensuring the continuity of access to the channel by securing twenty-four hour showing.
With the launch of MTV China, this carried the localisation of the MTV brand through the formatting of shows to apply the principle of designing seventy percent of the programs to reflect the local culture. As such MTV China lost its previous brand identity as an English-language show to become a global brand refashioned to the local culture. This means that MTV China has vee-jays that embody the cultural fusion intended by the MTV brand. Most if not all of the vee-jays are of mixed descent with some born in China or in a foreign country with Chinese and foreigner parents or born in China or in a foreign country with Chinese parents. This ensured that the vee-jays had sufficient exposure to different cultures to embody the cultural fusion brand value of MTV. Although, the primary language used in shows integrated with the talk format is Chinese, the vee-jays also have knowledge of the English language. Moreover, the shows feature Chinese artists in music videos reflecting sites and people in China but presented in the global concept of music videos. Other show segments feature the Chinese lifestyle through interviews with celebrities and locals alike. (Jones, 2005) It was through the change in program format that allowed Viacom to reintroduce the MTV brand intended to appeal to the Chinese market.
In entering China and introducing MTV China to the market, Viacom succeeded in launching MTV China by considering a number of key strategic factors. First is the determination of its business partners that would provide the brand and the company with a local air. The purpose of alliances by a foreign firm with a local company is usually to facilitate the easy acceptance of the brand, product or company by locals. This works with the local firm carrying the foreign brand in its marketing ventures and distribution channels to introduce the public to the brand, product or company and transfer the local value to the foreign brand. To benefit from such arrangements, Viacom selected satellite and broadcasting firms, cable companies, and local networks as its partners in order to ensure exposure of the public to the MTV brand and entertainment concept. Second is the consideration of the ways of broadening the channels of distribution to ensure access by its target market as well as potential markets for expansion. Apart from the engaging in alliances with cable and satellite broadcasting companies, Viacom also engaged many local networks to carry its shows tapping into the viewers of the entertainment station. Third, the company considered the development of the MTV brand. By shifting its strategy from a common programming format to fit the international market to the refashioning of the international MTV brand to reflect local cultures, it was able to draw the interests of its target customers by appealing to their alignment with the shows.
Assessment of the Position of MTV Channel in the Chinese Market
Market Penetration of MTV
China comprises a promising television and internet market for the introduction of brands such as MTV. This supports the relative success of MTV brand in entering the Chinese market and the future expansion of the brand to other market segments in China. The appeal of China as a market for entertainment brands is its large population, booming economy, and technological progress,
In 2006, around ninety-four percent of China’s total population has a television in their homes (ChinaBroadband, 2008). Access or ownership of a television is a necessary requisite for the introduction of entertainment brands such as MTV. The fact that most Chinese households have television implies that there could be more than one billion television viewers at a given time (ChinaBroadband, 2008). This potential for a viewer pool in China provided the incentive for the entry of Viacom in China and the introduction of its MTV brand. It is the more than one billion people with access to the television that also comprised the stringent competition among industry players and the protectionism of the government of its local industries that resulted to the establishment of rigid standards for the entry of foreign firms in the Chinese market. This means that while entry into the Chinese market is promising, this could also involve barriers and risks. Moreover, persistence in the Chinese market comprises a separate issue from market entry.
Access to television programming in China comprise of two channels. First is cable television that services one hundred million households, with the number increasing by twelve million every year (ChinaBroadband, 2008). This means that a significant number of the Chinese population subscribe to cable channels that offers a wide selection of channels without any signal interruptions. As such, the tie-up of MTV with the top cable firm in Guangdong ensures that the MTV twenty-four hour channel forms part of the cable channels offered to the public. This strategic alliance has benefited MTV China and the continuity of this alliance would benefit plans for expansion. Second is digital television, which received government support in 2006 so that all cities should embrace digital television concurrent to the plan of completely phasing-out analog television by 2015 (ChinaBroadband, 2008). Digital television offers a number of benefits not only to viewers but also to networks and entertainment firms, including improved sound and picture quality to enhance the viewing experience of the audience and more channel options. This fits with the plan of MTV to maximise its market reach through its partnerships with a top cable firms as well as syndicating programs to local networks. Digital television would improve the quality of picture and sound of MTV shows that enhances viewer satisfaction. Digital television also ensures wider channel coverage for viewers to have access to MTV China.
This shows that MTV China has optimised its reach in the Chinese market due to its strategic business-to-business (B2B) alliances with key companies in China together with developments in the entertainment industry favourable to MTV China. Its significant market reach has allowed the company and the brand to carry top positions in the industry for a foreign business.
As of 2006, China has also become the second ranking internet market in the world with one hundred thirty seven million people using the Internet at a given time and the number increases at a rate of fourteen million every year, which constitutes an increase greater than the growth in television viewers (ChinaBroadband, 2008). This means the existence of another distribution channel for MTV China. Growth in Internet users means that the virtual market could become a segment for expansion of the MTV brand. Internet service provision has been bundled with cable connection so that in 1997, broadband subscribers in China reached seventy-nine million people, with the number expected to grow to one hundred thirty million in 2010 (ChinaBroadband, 2008). This means another strategic move for Viacom in partnering with the cable company that would likely offer broadband services to consumers in the next years.
In recognition of the emergence of the Internet as a new MTV China delivery channel, MTV Networks including MTV China has made advertising and content alliances with Baidu.com., which is the leading search engine in China. Such agreements have the effect of enabling around one hundred twenty-three million Internet users in China to gain access to fifteen thousand hours of MTV shows merged with Nickelodeon video content together with the provision of access to Internet users of a wide selection of music videos for online download using Baidu.com. The mutual trade-off works for both firms with MTV China and Nickelodeon advertising Baidu.com in its television shows while Baidu.com advertises MTV China and Nickelodeon (MTVN) and carries show contents in its main website. The MTVN format was approved by China’s State Administration of Radio, Firm and Television but this arrangement was limited only to Guangdong province. With its tie-up with Baidu.com, MTVN need not only be limited to Guangdong province but extends to the Chinese virtual market. (China.org.cn, 2008) This expresses the extent of long-term strategic plan for MTV China and MTVN since Viacom has anticipated the development of broadband services and the Internet as promising access and distribution channels.
MTV can be considered as successful in penetrating the Chinese market relative to its other foreign counterparts. Viacom as the company that own the MTV brand is considered to be the leading foreign entertainment firm in China because it has achieved the highest degree of market penetration when compared to the other counterpart firms despite the difficulties in entering the Chinese market. Its achievements are expressed by the status of MTV China of being the only global brand with a twenty-four hour showing in the province of Guangdong. The round-the-clock availability of shows has been determined to reach 13.8 million television households across China. Moreover, MTV China has also expanded syndications to more local stations in four hundred fifty nine cities across China to give MTV access to one hundred ninety million households. This means that MTV China can be directly viewed by more than thirteen million satellite and cable television viewers in different parts of the country and indirectly viewed through local channel airings by close to two hundred million Chinese households. (Coonan, 2007) Its partnership with Baidu.com expanded its market reach to more than one hundred million Internet users (China.org.cn, 2008).
Competitiveness
SWOT
Future of MTV in China (8 pages)
Conclusion (2 pages)
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