China Ready to Let AOL, News Corp. Broadcast

Chinese residents may get access to cable programming from AOL Time Warner and News Corp., after Chinese officials said they would agree to the access if a Chinese government-sponsored channel is aired in the United States.

According to a report Tuesday on the Financial Times Web site, Xu Guangchun, the Chinese minister in charge of radio, film and television, said a deal to let New York-based AOL and Sydney-based News Corp. broadcast their programming in the Guangdong province in a “restricted area” is acceptable, but only if Chinese programming is permitted in the United States.

The Chinese government banned programming by foreign companies from being broadcast, with the exception of some hotels and foreign-owned property.

Xu also told the paper that other foreign broadcasters may be allowed to take part in a unified satellite broadcast system that will be maintained by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

Phone calls to AOL and News Corp. by the Associated Press were not returned.