China Media

Changes continue at China Central Television’s International Channel (CCTV 9), but this time leaders of the moribund station are shuffling senior newsroom managers. China Media has been told about the changes by many in the newsroom who have chosen to remain off-the-record.

Wang Xin, one of the brighest in the CCTV 9 newsroom, will move from overseeing China Today to the sports department in advance of next year’s Olympics. Current anchor Liu Xin will assume the responsibility for China Today, and maintain her role as a news anchor. The loser in the shuffle is the former sports department head, who will become an assistant to Wang Xin.

Another popular employee, Annie Fu, will be moving from the 2nd floor newsroom to the 8th floor Biz China team. Annie was passed over for a Biz China anchor position for Wei Sue Loke, but will take a full-time copy-editing position with the team as consolation. Annie has been told she’ll be given more freedom with the Biz China team, including conducting her own interviews.

Wei Su Loke moved from Singapore to Beijing full-time about a year ago, and has been working in the CCTV newsroom as a copy editor since.  It’s been announced that she will move from the 2nd floor newsroom to the 8th floor Biz China offices, and will become the team’s newest anchor.  Congratulations to Wei Su.

Biz China anchor Rita Zhao will likely be following in the footsteps of Jacqueline Chen who announced her resignation from CCTV 9 earlier this month. According to her personal website, Rita Zhao joined CCTV 9 as an anchor in January 2005. Word is she plans on heading to the United States and will focus on other side projects once she returns to China. She’s expected to leave Biz China within the next few weeks.

It looks like Jacqueline Chen is prepared to leave CCTV 9… again.  The popular anchor of Biz China left CCTV 9 about a year ago to return to the United Kingdom.  She returned to China when her British-born husband was posted here, but she plans to leave the international news channel in the next few weeks.  CCTV 9 has a couple of openings now for on-air anchors, with Biz China having the biggest need.

Jacqueline Chen at the Biz China anchor desk at CCTV 9.