BEIJING -- More cinemas will be built in China's rural areas to allow everyone a chance to go to the movies, China's top film governing body, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) said this week.

Many sections of the rural population find it difficult to see films due to a dearth of cinemas and poor transport links, said Zhang Pimin, deputy director of SARFT. He outlined a plan to popularize cinema in the countryside as part of the 11th Five Year Plan which runs 2006-2010.

"Solving the issue of not being able to see movies in rural areas will be given top priority during the urbanization process," Zhang said.

China's booming economic growth has largely bypassed the country's 800 million farmers, and the government is keen to narrow a yawning wealth gap between the rich cities of the eastern seaboard and the poor countryside in central and western provinces.

"In future, cinemas in the countryside will be run by companies governed by market forces and the government will put on some free movies for farmers as well," Zhang said.

The plan is also to introduce digital technologies in country cinemas, with government subsidies in especially poor areas for high-tech equipment, Zhang said.

© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bookmark with..

Comments (0)

Write comment

This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment.

There is a problem with the comment system, or you do not have javascript enabled.