15902.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
Reality TV shows are thriving in China. Friday nights have become date nights for family bonding across the country as majority get caught on the reality show bug.
Friday nights in China feature reality TV shows such as "Running Man," " I Am a Singer" and "Super Brain." These shows have dominated the ratings for the last two Friday nights since 2015 opened.
For the past year, reality TV shows in China have already started to bring in the ratings. These shows reached an all-in new high when it comes to creating buzz online.
Hunan, Jiangsu and Zhejiang TV--the three top players of the reality show games--have made huge investments in human resources that would make the production of these shows a reality. Sums of money were also devoted to buying the most watched or known formats from abroad as well as coming up with own reality show formats.
Satellite TV stations also joined in the fray, making shows for a more specific audience and compete in the reality shows game.
"2014 was a blowout year for reality shows and 2015 will be more so," said Yuan Zhiqiang, the chief editor at Shijiazhuang TV, shared in an email to the Global Times.
Among the reality shows making waves in China are the celebrity-led ones such as "The Amazing Race China." Celebrities themselves have become more amenable to joining these new formats, no matter how hard the missions or tasks they are assigned. Most of the reality shows led by celebrities have them doing things they would not ordinarily do; however, these are the shows that viewers are most interested in watching.
Celebrities who want to strive for a well-rounded image or want to reposition themselves on this changing viewer landscape are opting to join these reality shows.
"An increasing number of celebrities have noticed a change in their public image. As their careers progress, they have realized that simply being a star or an idol is not enough. They need a well-rounded image," said Yi Hua, the executive producer of the "The Amazing Race China."
