CCTV1

CCTV1 is synonymous with Chinese television, but did you know it also runs a dedicated music radio stream? That's right - the same network that broadcasts nightly news and family dramas also pumps out a steady diet of Chinese pop music. And the audio quality? Remarkably crisp - though at 8200kbps, you'd expect nothing less. The playlist sticks to mainstream mandopop: Jay Chou, Jolin Tsai, and newer acts like Hua Chenyu. It's polished, it's chart-friendly, and it's exactly what you'd hear in a Beijing taxi. But there's something comforting about that familiarity. The presentation is minimal - n…