Jiang Heping is the current director of China Central Television (CCTV) Sports Channel - CCTV5, who graduated from Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) with a double degree in English and International Journalism. He participated in the founding of CCTV English Channel (CCTV9, which changed its name to CCTV News in 2010), and later served as channel director.

n 1989, only two years after graduation, Jiang Heping met a dilemma when his leader wanted him to in charge of the administrative affairs during CCTV’s reelection of the Youth League committee. However, he refused the huge temptation, said, “I’m a language learner. If I quit learning for two years, I quit it all. And my effort over the past few years will turn out nothing.”

Listen to the Radio for Learning English

Jiang Heping was born in 1963 in a village in Tongcheng, Anhui Province. In such a place that doesn’t even have an English dictionary, English radio became his abecedarian.

With the coming of college entrance examination, Jiang applied for English major. One day he received the admission notice of Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), learning that he would go to the same university as the foreign language scholar did. Jiang is one of the only five Anhui students who were admitted to SISU.

SISU divided freshmen into seven classes in terms of their English language skills. The pressure of the division pushed Jiang practicing dictation, listening comprehension, extensive reading and grammar every day. With a vast improvement of English skills, he decided to apply for the double degree in English and International Journalism set up by the Ministry of Education only in Fudan University and SISU, which has become an important turning point of his life.

SISU Is the Source of News Practice

Since his senior year Jiang began to learn from ABC, one of journalism specialized courses. During his service as the school newspaper editor, he was responsible for the affairs of the entire second page. He was involved in each link of news production and grasped each detail, even the printing work.

The practice in editing the University newspaper exposed Jiang to all the aspects of the campus. He gradually annealed keen insight through the contact with all kinds of people.

During the period of university life, he worked as an intern in CCTV twice, where he applied what he learnt through practice.

“You must do one thing to best rather than being half-hearted.” He believes in the power of focus.

CCTV International News: I Take over Anyone’s Shift

In 1987 after graduation, Jiang came to CCTV News Center to be an international news editor, responsible for the 10 minutes’ international news of News Broadcast. Whenever asked for a leave, he would take over the shift.

In 1996, Jiang was promoted to deputy director of news editing department, in charge of national news. In the same year, he went to Cardiff University in England for further study. During the one year experience he saw the differences between Chinese and western media.

9 months after his return, Jiang was transferred to be the director of international news department of CCTV overseas center.

“Found English Channel, to Make Foreigners Understand Chinese Stories”

At the oversea center, Jiang is more like an entrepreneur, who builds the English Channel a castle with bricks and tiles.

In the essay See China through Foreign Eyes, See World through Chinese Eye, Jiang wrote: “while reporting, you should think what the value of Chinese events is for foreigners. You success if foreigners understand your Chinese story.”

One tough task for Jiang is that, while the domestic news practitioners don’t understand the outside world, the foreign language graduates lack experience of journalism. He was not satisfied with the best English announcers in the country, so he trained people in his own department. The two switch password he used at that time is still used while training freshmen years later.

The program World Wide Watch officially started in his guidance three months after his arrival. It’s a live show, both from the Chinese perspective to cover international news, and news reports from the international perspective to China, with news broadcast at 7 o'clock every night, become a foreign diplomatic envoys’ must watch.

It also confirmed Jiang’s idea, English news need international side as well as contents domestic conditions.

Now recall that "entrepreneurship" Jiang is still surging. “I leave two legacy to the English channel. One is to use the foreign hosts, the second is advertising."

“Take over Sports Channel, a Blister Raised on My Mouth”

Jiang accidentally received an offer to fill the position of director of Sports Center of CCTV5, as deputy director of oversea center and director of English Channel. Opportunities are always for the prepared mind. “If you are not in the position, if your English level is less than the degree, if you don't love sports, they won’t give you that opportunity.”

Jiang felt great pressure to lead a channel which he didn’t pay much attention in the past. A blister raised at the corner of his mouth the first night he took charge.

The first thing he did, is to observe, learn the present situation, and set up goals. A month later, he raised a revising guideline - highlight races, strength news, improve schedule, and promote ratings.

Jiang has been in Sports Channel for nearly 10 years, sports has been his lifestyle. From the way he plays you can see his personality. He’s fast, and likes to play a fast attack, block shots quickly and attack if it’s possible. "I don't like things slow, do what we can do, give up what you cannot do, to be decisive.”

People must Have Value Judgement

During the 28 years in CCTV, Jiang works across three center, press center for 11 years, seven years overseas center, sports center 10 years, but the only constant, is working with English.

Every work needs English because that most people you work with are foreigners. Buy copyright of World Cup, the Olympic Games, Asian games, talks, negotiations, everything requires language. You can’t lose English for a single day.

Jiang has a very clear judgement about himself, about what he can do and what he must not do. “You should be a good person first, then you can do things well.”

He gets along well with his colleagues. “I’ve experienced ups and downs, so I understand people should be sincere and can’t lose standard. We should be helpful to others and society, which is the basic value judgement.”