TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Since 2015, when the Chinese government launched the “10,000 African Villages" project, the number of homes there with digital television access has increased substantially.

A report from CNN entitled “How China is slowly expanding its power in Africa, one TV set at a time” takes a critical look at the project. The initiative is being carried out under the direction of the StarTimes Corporation, and the report suggests the increased access to television is being implemented to influence public opinion and generate popular support for Beijing throughout Africa.

According to the report, StarTimes has reached 10 million subscribers across 30 African countries in less than five years. Offering cheap access to a wide variety of programs from China or produced in cooperation with Chinese companies, StarTimes has effectively become a mouthpiece for Chinese propaganda beamed directly into the homes of Africans across the continent.

The article gives a detailed account of the historical developments that led to the current situation, where many people both within and outside of Africa are wondering if China has amassed too much influence over the entertainment and communications industries in developing African nations. Read the full report by Jenni Marsh at CNN Business.