BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Spring Festival Gala will be broadcast live in theaters, the production company China Media Group said Monday.

The gala, which usually lasts more than four hours, is scheduled to kick off at 8:00 p.m. on the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 24 this year.

More than 500 media outlets from over 170 countries and regions including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Russia, Brazil, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Thailand and Laos as well as cinemas from more than 20 countries and regions will broadcast the gala, the media conglomerate said.