China's CCTV launches global 'soft power' media network to extend influence

A view shows the China Central Television (CCTV) building and the Central Business District (CBD) area on a sunny day on December 2, 2015, after a fresh cold front cleared the smog that was blanketing Beijing, China. REUTERS/Stringer

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China Central Television (CCTV), Beijing's largest and most important TV network, said it will launch a new global media platform at the stroke of New Year's Day to help re-brand China overseas.

The new multilingual media cluster will have six TV channels, a video newsletter agency and a new media agency and will see the original CCTV News channel renamed as China Global Television Network, the network said on its website on Friday night.

China has been extending its global influence with "soft power" tactics such as launching new English language media and auditioning international public relations firms to tailor its branding strategy.

President Xi Jinping said in February state media must tell China's story to the world better and become internationally influential, adding that onshore portals must follow the party line and promote "positive propaganda as the main theme".

(Reporting by Engen Tham in Shanghai and Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by Eric Meijer)