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 Headquarters in Shenzhen | |
Native name | 鳳凰衛視投資（控股）有限公司 |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public;State-owned enterprise |
| SEHK: 2008 NYSE: FENG | |
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 31 March 1996; 29 years ago (1996-03-31) |
| Headquarters | Shenzhen,Guangdong, China Tai Po,Hong Kong |
Key people | Liu Changle (Founder; former chairman and chief executive officer), Chui Keung (Deputy chief executive officer, Chief Compliance Officer), Liu Shuang (Chief Operating Officer of Phoenix Satellite TV, CEO of Phoenix New Media) |
| Products | Television content, Television programming |
| Parent | Bauhinia Culture |
| Website | www |
| |
| Country | China |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Worldwide |
| Programming | |
| Picture format | HDTV1080i |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Phoenix Television |
| Sister channels | Phoenix InfoNews Channel Phoenix Chinese News and Entertainment Channel Phoenix North America Chinese Channel Phoenix Movies Channel Phoenix Hong Kong Channel |
| History | |
| Launched | 31 March 1996 |
| Replaced | Star Chinese Channel |
| Phoenix Chinese Channel | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 鳳凰衛視中文台 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 凤凰卫视中文台 | ||||||||||
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| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 鳳凰衛視 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 凤凰卫视 | ||||||||||
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Phoenix Television is a majoritystate-owned television network that operatesMandarin andCantonese-language channels servingmainland China,Hong Kong,Macau, and other regions with significant Chinese-speaking audiences. It is headquartered inShenzhen andHong Kong and is also registered in theCayman Islands.[1]
The network was founded by Liu Changle (劉長樂), who previously served as an officer and political instructor in thePeople's Liberation Army with the40th Group Army.[2] Following theCultural Revolution, Liu worked as a journalist for theChinese Communist Party (CCP)-controlledChina National Radio and maintained close ties with the CCP leadership.[3] He is also a standing member of theNational Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.[4]
Phoenix Television identifies itself as aHong Kong media organisation,[5] but it holds a non-domestic television programme services licence in Hong Kong.[6] The majority of its customers and non-current assets are located in mainland China.[7] Its largest shareholder isBauhinia Culture, a company wholly owned by theChinese government.[8]Freedom House characterises Phoenix Television as pro-Beijing,[9] whileStephen McDonell ofBBC News noted that it is "sometimes more liberal than its mainland counterparts".[10]
The company's head offices are located inShenzhen,Guangdong, andTai Po,Hong Kong, with correspondent offices inBeijing andShanghai. The Shenzhen office produces about half of its television output.[11]
Phoenix Television originated as a joint venture betweenStar TV inHong Kong, a private company in China, andChina Central Television.[12]
The Phoenix Chinese Channel was launched on 31 March 1996, replacingStar Chinese Channel inHong Kong andmainland China.[13] Broadcasts inSingapore began on 1 December 1996 via theSingapore Cable Vision network. In its early years, the Phoenix Chinese Channel also carried Mandarin-dubbed American series during primetime hours, includingThe X-Files andBaywatch.[14]
Phoenix CNE began broadcasting in Europe, while the Phoenix North America Chinese Channel launched for audiences across the Americas. In 2005, aCalifornia-based broadcast and engineering director for the network, Tai Wang Mak, was arrested for conspiring with his brother,Chi Mak, to act as an intelligence agent for China.[15] He was sentenced to ten years in prison in 2008.[16][17]
On 28 March 2011, Phoenix Television launched the Phoenix Hong Kong Channel, which broadcasts exclusively inCantonese.[18]
On 31 March 2011, Phoenix InfoNews Channel was recognised with aPeabody Award for its "Report on a New Generation of Migrant Workers in China".[19]
In 2011, Phoenix New Media partnered with theBBC to distribute the broadcaster's programmes on its digital media platforms. In 2012, it entered into a similar agreement with theNational Film Board of Canada, under which 130 animated shorts and documentary films were made available digitally in China.[20]
In October 2013,21st Century Fox sold its 12.15% stake in Phoenix Television (held through Star) toTPG Capital for HK$1.66 billion (US$213 million).[21][22][23]
In February 2016, Phoenix Television broadcastforced confessions ofkidnapped Hong Kong booksellers.[24][25][9]
In June 2020, theFCC orderedXEWW-AM, owned by Phoenix Television, to cease broadcasting in the United States.[26]
The Taiwanese government designated Phoenix Television as a Chinese government-funded company in April 2022 and required it to cease operations in Taiwan.[27]
During theRussian invasion of Ukraine, a Phoenix Television reporter was among the few foreign journalists to embed with theRussian military.[28]
At its launch, Star TV and a private company in China each held 45% of Phoenix Television, while state broadcasterChina Central Television owned the remaining 10%.[12]
The shares held by the originalNews Corporation (and later21st Century Fox) through Star were gradually reduced over the years. In October 2013, 21st Century Fox sold its remaining stake toTPG Capital.[29][21][22][23]
According to the company's 2018[needs update] annual report, its ownership structure was as follows:[1]
| Name | Shares | Percentage | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today's Asia Limited | 1,854,000,000 | 37.13% | Wholly owned by Liu Changle. |
| Extra Step Investments Limited | 983,000,000 | 19.69% | A company owned byChina Mobile Hong Kong, which is a part of state-ownedChina Mobile. |
| TPG China Media, L.P. | 607,000,000 | 12.16% | Part ofTPG Capital, beneficially controlled byDavid Bonderman andJames Coulter.[1] |
| China Wise International Limited | 412,000,000 | 8.25% | Owned byBank of China, which is controlled byCentral Huijin Investment, a subsidiary of the sovereign wealth fundChina Investment Corporation, which reports to theState Council of the People's Republic of China. |
In April 2021, Liu Changle sold most of his shares to the state-owned publisher Bauhinia Culture andShun Tak Holdings.[30][31]
Liu Changle (劉長樂), founder and CEO of Phoenix Television, previously worked as a journalist for the Chinese Communist Party-controlledChina National Radio following theCultural Revolution. By the 1990s, he had become one of China's wealthiest individuals and maintained strong connections to the Beijing leadership.[2][3]
Shuang Liu (刘爽) was appointed chief operating officer (COO) of Phoenix Television on 17 February 2014. He also serves as CEO ofPhoenix New Media Ltd (NYSE: FENG), a Chinese digital media company.[32]
Chung Pong, a former director of Phoenix Television news, testified under oath that the network's programming was "subject to the dictates of the leadership of the Central Communist Propaganda Department, Central Communist Overseas Propaganda Office, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."[33]
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Chinese-language television in Southeast Asia | |
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The following channels offer at least some programming in Chinese | |
 Brunei |
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 Cambodia |
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 Philippines |
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