MUMBAI: The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (Casbaa) has announced its programme for the CIRTV International Forum, "Animating the Future", on 25 August 2004 in Beijing.
 

The one-day Casbaa CITVC animation forum is the programming centerpiece of the China International Radio Film & Television Expo (CIRTV), hosted by China's pay-TV regulator the State Administration of Radio Film & Television (SARFT) and the China Media Group (CMG).
CITVC is the commercial arm of state broadcaster CCTV and the exclusive distributor of all foreign pay-TV channels in China.

The CIRTV meeting is Mainland China's most-wide ranging broadcasting conference and exhibition aimed at further promoting the development of China's domestic film and television industry as well as its relationship with overseas partners.

The "Animating the Future" forum should attract some 250 senior executive-level government officials and China-based pay-TV professionals. It has been developed as a key component in the Central Government designated "Year of Animation" for the China pay-TV market, which was recently marked by a decision to mandate that each of China's 32 provincial cable systems must develop their own animation channel.

"This is an exciting time for the children's television sector in China," said Marcel Fenez, Chairman of CASBAA. "This collaboration between CITVC and Casbaa marks a significant advance in our continuing efforts to support China's fast-growing pay-TV market. With children's television being a core element within any pay-TV platform we see this conference as being central to advancing industry growth."

Meanwhile, Casbaa, as CITVC's international partner for the Forum, is also assisting with the promotion of the exhibition area of the China International Exhibition (August 25th - 27th) and related sponsorships.

The core objective of the "Animating the Future" forum is to provide domestic and international delegates with as broad a view of the pay-TV animation industry as possible, highlighting the differing global animation styles, business models and its role within the broader Children's Television industry.

"This is a great opportunity to showcase China's Children's TV industry within an international context," said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO of Casbaa. Keystone contributions from the likes of Nickelodeon, IBM, Animax, Walt Disney, and Cartoon Network as well as KOCCA (Korea) and CCTV will ensure the event's success.