北京BTV新闻伴音

Beijing BTV's audio feed is a strange beast. It's not talk radio, nor is it purely music. The station presents itself as '新闻伴音' - news companion audio. In practice, that means long stretches of instrumental tracks - think orchestral swells and traditional Chinese melodies - interrupted by brief news bulletins. The music selection leans heavily on the cinematic and patriotic side. You'll hear pieces that might score a documentary about the Great Wall, not the latest pop hits. The news segments are in Mandarin, delivered in the brisk, authoritative tone typical of Chinese state television. There…