CCTV appoints new head after blaze

• Bureau chief reaches retirement age
• Top propaganda official named new head of CCTV
• CCTV denies February fire was the reason

Beijing - CCTV has confirmed Zhao Huayong will step down as head of China´s largest national TV network, three months after a fatal blaze destroyed its new headquarters.

The 61-year-old Zhao Huayong is being replaced by propaganda official Jiao Li, vice minister of the publicity department of the Communist Party's Central Committee, because he had reached the retirement age, according to the state media Xinhua's report.

"It is just a normal process and [there is] no other reason to explain the replacement," a CCTV spokesperson said.

Prior to his promotion, Jiao was the propaganda director for the northwestern province of Liaoning as well as one of the principles of Shanghai-listed Liaoning Publishing group.  

In February, an illegal fireworks display destroyed CCTV's nearly completed new headquarters in Beijing.