China's TV and radio media are undergoing a reform which requires practical and detailed investigating on both markets and industry environments. Advertising is regarded as the major money-spinner for most Chinese TV stations, contributing over 30 percent of the stations income via TV drama for more than 80 percent of TV stations in China. However, the national TV drama market began to decline from last year, whose income was cut by 20 to 30 percent, and which has turned out to be the focus of TV stations and advertising agents.
The China's TV Drama Report (2003-2004) analyzes market through management, circulation, and demand and supply, and summarizes characteristics of TV programs, and describes the components of both audience and Television stations. Here are some of the major discoveries of the survey:
The viewing behavior of the whole population
Chinese audiences spent 52 minutes everyday watching TV dramas on average in 2002, which ranked, at 30 percent, first among all the programs they watched.
Evening is the golden time for TV audiences: people watch even more TV dramas at weekends and holidays. Females watch 8 minutes more than males do on average everyday; audiences who are more than 65 watch 14 minutes above the average everyday: the older an audience is, the longer he or she watches TV drama; audiences who received college or higher education watch less, but only 11 minutes less than the average.
Regions show diversity in viewing habits with people living in the north watching the most, 17 percent more than the nationwide average, but northwest and south are lower than the average by 15 percent. Audiences living in Guangzhou city watch less TV drama than people living in Beijing and Shanghai by an 11 and 12 minute respective everyday average.
What are the most popular TV dramas?
Occupying 16 percent of the market, criminal themes are the most popular, followed by themes such as a commoners' life, city life, reform and legend. Among them, Liu Laogen, TianXiaLiangCang and As Tangerine is Red had the best performances in TV in 2002.
What trend does the TV drama production industry have?
Scheduled less than previous years, China's TV drama in 2002 remained stable in output volume and will continue this trend next year since it has undergone adjustment. With the advent of big movie and TV drama companies, investment and manufacture may become more "integrated and regulatory", imbuing new concepts like "rational", "elite", "series" and "scientific" to the TV drama market.
The general character of China's TV drama market in 2002
In general, the market supplied more than demand. However, good-quality dramas were still scarce and in great demand. After the merging of cable and satellite television stations, the market was shared by the China Central Television station (CCTV), provincial-level TV and municipal-level TV. However, monopoly occupied some regions. TV drama manufactures were plagued by price limitations and defaults on payments.
The pricing and payment structure of TV drama programming
The current TV drama pricing system is relatively mature due to a layered market mechanism. The price of domestic TV drama is higher than overseas; ancient themes are higher than other themes; market prices in eastern regions are higher than in western regions. The prices are mainly decided by quality, producer reputation, channel, broadcasting period, audience-rating expectation, and purchasing budget.
National TV advertising market
TV drama has diversified advertising methods, including three major ones. These are: advertising period bids held by TV stations in regular way; endorsement advertising in drama episodes; advertising agents doing their job and charging for it. Ad pricing is decided by audience ratings, host requirements, broadcasting rounds, and ad surveillance results.
The characteristics of movie and TV drama channels as major broadcasting platform
Movie and TV drama channels are the biggest professional channels in China's Television industry, accounting for 19 percent of all channels. Most provincial-level and provincial -capital television stations own movie and TV drama channels, which are regarded as their "money-spinners" due to high output/input rates.
Imported TV series
Overseas TV dramas have no longer taken up the "prime time" as before, but now have their own place. Hong Kong series are still popular, South Korean also rising rapidly, Taiwan TV dramas more local-oriented, but TV products from other countries and regions are still limited in a narrow place. Though export remains at a low level, the Chinese TV drama is viewed as the strongest of all TV products since many Chinese-speaking areas in South-East Asia import Chinese costume TV dramas.
Background Information
CSM
CSM (CVSC/SOFRES) is the leader in TV measurement in China. Since 1996, it has published a book on the main figures and trends of TV in China. Its ambition is to provide an introduction to the workings of TV in China through various vantage points. It owns the largest audience survey network, covering over 150 cities and counties, with 350,000 families and with a sample of more than 80, 000, conducting real-time surveillances of more than 700 domestic TV stations. For more information, log on http://www.cms.com.cn/
Shanghai TV Festival
The Shanghai Television Festival (STVF) is an internationally competitive television exchange event, ratified by the Standing Committee of the Shanghai People's Congress. The Festival is held annually, lasting six days. With the aim to foster "Peace, Friendship, Cooperation and Exchange", the Festival is designed to encourage better mutual understanding, strengthen friendship among people from different countries and regions, and stimulate the development of the television industry.
The Shanghai TV Festival has the following activities:
1 Magnolia Award International TV Program Competition sponsored by the State Administration of Radio, Film & TV and Shanghai Municipal Government
2. International TV Program Highlights
3. International Film and TV Program Market
4. International Radio, Film and TV Equipment Exhibition
(China.org.cn by Li Liangdu, July 15, 2003)
