(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-19 21:37

China's television audience reached 1.205 billion in 2007, 90 million more than that of 2002 and twice that of 1987, a new survey released on Wednesday revealed.

About 99.89 percent of Chinese households owned televisions, according to the survey initiated by the China Central Television Station (CCTV) and conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The figures were for viewers four years of age and older.

The survey said more cable TV and satellite channels had been introduced to common families. Each household now had access to an average of 32.4 channels, twice that of 2002.

In addition, television had become the most popular medium among common Chinese, it said.

The survey covered 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities excluding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan.

Altogether, 11,822 people above 13 were polled. It also polled 2,005 children between the ages of four and 12.

The survey, introduced in 1987, has been conducted every five years. It was designed to learn about the demand of TV audiences and the development of programming so as to improve content and better satisfy audience demand.