With China's WTO entry, foreign entertainment and media groups eye the vast market in China and are trying various ways to seek a foothold there.

Viacom, an international entertainment giant, has signed a contract with Tang Long in China to launch Nickelodeon, a classic program for children, in 80 million Chinese households on May 1, 2001. The program has been broadcast by more than 130 television stations in provinces and cities in China. It is said that more than 200 television stations will broadcast the program. On that occasion, the program coverage will reach 300 to 500 million people in China.

According to sources, a frequency survey on 102 television stations shows that the program enjoys a TV frequency of as high as 5 - 8%, and the broadcasting will extend to 3 hours a day in the next few years from the current 30 minutes a day. Lu Xingdong, president of Tang Long, attributed to the successful landing of Nickelodeon in China to the reform of the  radio and television sector, and Tang Long's channel-oriented program supply mode which supplies TV programs to channels out of stock.

Reports said that foreign media groups have eyed domestic largest television publication and distribution units. Since Beijing TV Week, the toll bridge for foreign TV programs to enter the domestic market has emerged. At the same time, Tang Long is stepping up cooperation with a TV media group in Hong Kong to explore TV entertainment program for the Chinese people throughout the world.