If there has been one defining trend in modern media over the past 10-15 years, it would have to be reality TV. No television phenomenon has been so simultaneously reviled and embraced by a population as reality television has in America and Europe, accounting for high ratings while being bashed by critics and intellectuals alike. The term "guilty pleasure" may not have been coined with reality TV in mind, but many reality TV viewers consider shows like Survivor, The Bachelor, or America’s Next Top Model to be just that – reality consumers often acknowledge these shows as being lowbrow by nature, but still find them entertaining enough to tune in. And tune in. And tune in some more.

Reality TV takes off in China

Reality TV is a relative newcomer to China’s shores, but China’s TV audiences have proven receptive just the same to its seductive overtures. The popular Supergirl singing competition was a megahit in its first year and sparked loads of copycats including a Superboy competition. While none of the winners have so-far matched the success of the very first supergirl, Li Yichun, who challenged Chinese notions of femininity and gender with her short hair and boy-style clothing, the shows draw large audiences and thousands of people show up for American Idol style auditions.

Dating shows have also enjoyed massive success in recent years, with shows like Feicheng Wurao and Let’s Go on a Date attracting huge followings. On these shows contestants choose from a pool of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes, asking a series of questions to decide whether or not they’d like to give the person a chance. Foreigners have even appeared on these dating shows. Other popular shows take on a Maury Povich-esque style and expose family dramas or relationships gone wrong, bringing both sides together to try and hash out some kind of reconciliation. Still other shows capitalise on being copycats of Western shows like Top Gear and America’s Got Talent. Certain local TV stations, such as Hunan TV, have re-branded themselves as young, hip, entertainment centred networks, and it is no surprise that Hunan TV’s line-up consists in large part of reality and variety shows.

So long mind numbing entertainment, so long ad revenues

However, Hunan TV may find its image in trouble if a new law that is in the works takes effect in China. This law would drastically limit the amount of reality and "entertainment" shows allowed to air, especially during "golden time," China’s version of prime time. The new law proposes that stations only be allowed to air 90 minutes of "reality" TV during prime time each night, and places limits on talent competitions such as Supergirl, which was given the axe in September for supposedly overrunning its allotted time slots. The Supergirl shut down started the crackdown on the entertainment industry – particularly reality television – and has many Chinese TV execs worried for their livelihoods.

The crackdown on Chinese reality television is, in theory, supposed to stop Chinese airwaves from becoming oversaturated with the kind of mindless programming that American intellectuals have been complaining about in recent years. China says that programmes like Supergirl and reality shows like Let’s Go Out are "vulgar" and "immoral" and are contributing to a decline in Chinese culture and values, encouraging materialism and decadence. Chinese authorities would rather devote airtime to science, history, geography, the arts, or to shows that promote socialist values and good morals among young people.

Chinese authorities also propose special rules that would make networks unable to air commercials during hour-long drama shows, a move which gives dramas a special privileged status but which also has network execs nervous about possible loss of the income that these prime time commercial slots can generate. The television advertising industry in China as a whole was worth a whopping 500 billion RMB in 2010 (Supergirl alone brought in more than 500 million RMB in ad sales) and the market is still growing. In addition, shows like Supergirl make loads of money through text message voting for contestants, with each text message typically costing 0.5 RMB each. Over 8 million people voted by text message in the last season of Supergirl. It is clear that entertainment is a massive industry in China and that reality and variety shows, with their various internet and cell-phone tie-ins, tap into a huge market of young Chinese people with disposable income and a taste for "idol" type shows that rely on hype and a fan loyalty.

China gains an unlikely ally

Interestingly, China’s proposed changes to the laws have not met entirely negative reactions in the Western media. Some commentators even expressed the wish that Western television would follow suit and curb the "dreck" and "rubbish" that pollutes the airwaves in Europe and America. China, being in the beginning stages of the reality craze, has not yet had to deal with the consequences of allowing mindless entertainment to saturate every aspect of daily life. Could it be possible that this time the Chinese government is showing foresight and taking steps to protect cultural and educational programming that should have been taken in other country years ago? Or is this another example of heavy handedness on the part of overzealous and conservative Chinese officials who cannot come to terms with the "new China"? Perhaps only time will tell but it is clear that for many viewers, both Western and Chinese alike, the sooner reality TV dies the better. 

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Keywords: reality tv in China TV prohibition law China Supergirl TV show China curb on entertainment shows in China