LONDON -- The Associated Press and Metan Development Group have signed a deal to provide entertainment programming content for Mandarin-speaking audiences, extending AP’s reach to digital and broadcast markets in mainland China.

Los Angeles-headquartered Metan Development Group has established a programming deal to produce short-form and long-form AP entertainment content in Mandarin for multiple platforms. Metan will develop original programming using AP content. Metan will be responsible for content distribution via television, online and mobile platforms throughout mainland China.

Programming for 2012 will include AP’s coverage of New York Fashion Week. Metan and AP will deliver fashion-themed content hosted by Mandarin-speaking presenters to audiences in China. Daily online reports on the 2012 collections will be made available, featuring coverage that includes catwalks, backstage and behind-the-scenes activity and exclusive interviews with the world’s top designers.

Additional fashion coverage in 2012 will include Paris, Milan and London Fashion Weeks. Metan is also using AP’s content to develop a weekly fashion magazine show for television. TV, Web and mobile content covering health and wellness, business, environment, science and gadgets is also in development.

AP’s Entertainment Daily News is a dedicated video service that provides exclusive coverage of celebrities, fashion, awards shows, film premieres, concerts and theatre. This includes more than 300 stories per month. AP’s Celebrity Extra, Movies Now, Film File and Entertainment Now are also available to customers in HD. AP entertainment news is now available in HD forming the first part of AP’s phased HD rollout.