The semi-final session of the 11th National Young Singers Television Competition (non-professional section) will open tomorrow in Beijing.

A total of 572 contestants have entered the semi-final of the competition which falls into three categories, namely, folk, popular and classical.

The contestants will either compete as members of the 74 participating singing groups, or as single competitors for the "Best Singing group," "Best Male Singer," "Best Female Singer," and the "Most Popular Singer among TV Audiences" titles in the following three weeks, according to Zhang Xiaohai, chief director of China Central Television (CCTV) Culture and Arts Program Production Center.

TV audiences can cast their votes in the singing competition through interactive platforms such as the www.CCTV.com website, mobile phone message services, and CCTV hotlines while watching the live televised competition on CCTV-3 channel, said Chen Yulu, director for the competition.

The final competition for single titles will be televised live on CCTV-3 at 2 pm on May 11; the final for "Most Popular Singer among TV Audiences" at 7:30 pm on May 18 on CCTV-3; and the awards presentation ceremony at a prime time on CCTV-3 on May 23, Chen said.

The competition is sponsored by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and has been organized by CCTV every two years since 1984, and fully supported by provincial and regional TV stations across the nation.

(China Daily April 29, 2004)