China to Launch Television Satellite

According to Xinhua News Agency, Du Baichuan (deputy director of the technology section of China's TV regulator, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television) has announced that China will make a second attempt at launching a working satellite that can broadcast television directly to homes, sometime in September or October. Chinasat-9 will provide broadcasts to areas that are home to 98% of China's population. Chinasat-9 was meant to operate in tandem with Sinosat-2, the country's first direct-broadcast television satellite, but Sinosat-2 failed after its launch in October. China has one of the world's biggest television markets, with 400 million sets and 12.6 million digital TV subscribers, according to the country’s government.

Source: Physorg