China could broadcast Tiananmen Square footage for first time

Footage of the Tiananmen Square massacre could be broadcast in China for the first time.

Hong Kong's RTHK and China Central Television (CCTV) are currently in negotiations over an episode of a popular television programme which features the footage.

If an agreement is reached it would be the first time in 12 years "outside" images of the incident have been broadcast in the communist state.

CCTV have approached RTHK about buying episodes of the successful TV series Success Stories.

One of the episodes features novelist and journalist Louis Cha and includes footage of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Cheung Man-sun, Assistant Director of Broadcasting in Hong Kong said: "One of our conditions for the sale is that they cannot edit our production for whatever reason.

"It is stated in the contract. Certainly, they can choose not to buy that particular episode, but if they do, they have to abide by the terms we set."

The Chinese Government had considered the 1989 protests a bid to be overthrown.

Mr Cheung added: "With the CCTV deal, our productions can reach the 1.3 billion people on the mainland."