The Sichuan TV Festival develops from Sichuan International TV Week, which was held in Chengdu in February 1990. It is co-sponsored by the National Broadcasting TV & Film Bureau and the People's Government of Sichuan, and organized by the Broadcasting TV & Film Bureau of Sichuan. In April 1990, the former National Broadcasting TV & Film Department decided to conduct Shanghai TV Festival and Sichuan TV Festival, both held biennially, for the purpose of making them the windows of China's broadcasting and TV system. Since the first Sichuan TV Festival in 1991, two markets -- the TV & Film Program Market and the TV & Film Equipment Market -- have formed certain scale along with the fast development of the broadcasting and TV industry. Based on the policies of internationalization, specialization, and market-orientation, the Sichuan TV Festival has become a comprehensive exposition, not only a market for program exchange and competition but also an equipment exhibition and seminar. It not only involves administrative officials, professionals and program producers, but also people from cultural, educational, postal, telecommunication and military sectors. Since 1997, the contents of the Exhibition of TV & Film Equipment have extended to network equipment. 

The theme of Sichuan TV Festival is peace, friendship, communication and cooperation. A judging panel, set up by the organizing committee, takes charge of the appraisal work of the International Golden Panda Prize for Documentary. The participant programs will be assessed and selected by world famous experts and scholars to guarantee that the works are of a high grade. The documentary awards are divided into two categories, namely Man & Society and Nature & Environment. There are seven awards for each category, including Best Long Documentary, Best Short Documentary, Judging Panel Special Award, Best Innovation, Best Director, Best Photography and Best Sound Effects. Furthermore, the festival will hold activities such as International TV & Film Program Trade Fair, International Broadcasting & Wired Network Equipment Exhibition, International TV & Film Development Seminar, and International TV Broadcasting Technology Seminar.

With the help of foreign experiences, the Sichuan TV Festival has become more professional and complete, kept up with the pace of international development, and realized the goal of becoming the window of China's opening to the world and the channel of communication within local areas and between countries. It also plays an important role in orderly importing and exporting programs. With more attractive activities such as program trade fairs, equipment exhibitions, and academic seminars, the festival has gained much attention from professionals of the same trade. Now, more organizations attend the festival, a larger exhibition area is provided with more booths, a larger trade volume is contracted, and more specialized it becomes. Meanwhile less significant activities, such as economic trades, sightseeing, feasts, and celebration parties, have been cancelled. It even simplifies the opening and closing ceremonies so that the festival is able to develop towards internationalization, specialization and market-orientation.

Up to 2001, Sichuan TV Festival had been successfully held six times and the seventh will be held in October 2003.

(Official website: www.sctvf-programmarket.com.cn)