The pattern of how audiences watch TV has remained largely unchanged, but the ratings for TV dramas have seen a significant improvement. In the overall market, TV dramas, variety shows, and news continue to dominate as the top three driving forces for viewership. Together, these three categories accounted for 57.1% of total ratings, nearly the same as in previous years. Specifically, TV drama ratings rose from 29.2% last year to 29.9%, an increase of 0.7 percentage points. News ratings also grew slightly, from 13.4% to 13.9%, while variety shows saw a decline, dropping from 14.7% to 13.3%. This drop is partly due to a lack of innovation in program formats and programming strategies. Meanwhile, other content such as youth-oriented programs and movies also saw year-on-year growth in audience share.
Star Channels continue to lead in variety shows, while terrestrial channels are expanding their focus on life service programs. Channel data reveals that Star Channels mainly concentrate on TV dramas and variety shows, whereas terrestrial channels prioritize TV dramas and news. In the first half of 2017, the central channel maintained a balanced distribution across different program types, with news, TV dramas, and variety shows ranking top three, contributing 48.8% of total ratings. Provincial satellite TV relies heavily on TV dramas and variety shows, which together contributed nearly 60% of the audience share, with TV dramas alone making up almost 40%—a notable increase compared to the previous year.
On terrestrial channels, TV dramas, news, and life service programs remain the core of television viewing. TV dramas account for more than a third of total viewership and serve as the mainstay of these channels. News programs also performed well, holding 15.1% and 24.58% shares on provincial and city-level channels respectively. Variety shows, however, had a lower presence on terrestrial platforms, with life service programs emerging as a growing focus.
CCTV's share of the audience continues to rise, while terrestrial channels experience a steady decline. TV dramas remain the leading driver of viewership, with a 30% audience share. CCTV's TV show share increased during this period, while provincial stations also saw gains. However, the number of terrestrial channels decreased, especially at the county level. The contribution of county-level channels dropped significantly, while provincial satellite TV continued to attract a large portion of the audience.
TV dramas are still the key engine behind high ratings. Industry consensus suggests that "TV dramas must be watched by viewers." Over the years, the efficiency of using TV drama resources has been high, with utilization rates rarely falling below 10%. However, as the volume of TV dramas increases and broadcast policies become more regulated, the efficiency of resource use has declined, reducing the marginal impact on ratings.
CSM Media Research data highlights the success of the drama "The People’s Name," which ranked in the top 20 in all 100 cities. With an average rating of 3.05% and a market share of 10.24%, it achieved impressive numbers. Its highest single-episode rating reached 5.92%, and its market share peaked at 20.53%. The drama also saw strong time-shifted viewing, with a 0.42% rate within seven days of its premiere. Social media engagement was equally impressive, with over 3.3 million mentions and 9.47 billion views on Weibo. Other dramas like "Because I Met You" and "Happy Song II" also made a strong impact.
In terms of genre, TV dramas covering topics such as politics, urban life, anti-corruption, and military conflicts dominated the airwaves. On Star Channels, popular dramas included "People’s Republic" and romantic series like "Because I Met You." On terrestrial channels, military and modern-themed dramas were more prevalent. Producers like Hunan Satellite TV and Anhui Satellite TV focused on IP-based dramas to attract younger viewers.
Variety shows experienced a slight decline in broadcast proportion, with over 80% of viewership concentrated on Star Channels. Central-level channels saw rising ratings, while provincial stations faced a drop in contribution. Terrestrial channels struggled to maintain their share, continuing a downward trend from the previous year.
Competition in the variety show space intensified on weekends, pushing more shows to weekdays. While there were few major hits, some programs like "High Energy Youth League" and "We Are 17" gained traction. However, the industry faces challenges in innovation and creative breakthroughs.
News programs saw central channels gain more viewers, while terrestrial channels lost share. Central channels maintained dominance in comprehensive news and commentary, while terrestrial channels focused on local, livelihood-based news. The timing of broadcasts also differed, with central channels broadcasting during prime hours and terrestrial channels focusing on early evening slots.
As media integration deepens, audience behavior is becoming more fragmented. Heavy viewers are beginning to drift away, and long-standing competition issues persist. The road ahead for television media remains challenging, but the industry looks forward to innovative solutions and successful practices.
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