Editor’s note: this article was translated and edited from a story that appeared on Wenxuecity.com, and looks at the recent departure of three big CCTV presenters. The article delves into the reasons why so many presenters opt to leave CCTV, and speculates that low salaries and limited career development opportunities are to blame.

Li Yong, Bai Yansheng, and Wang Kai—all high-profile CCTV presenters—recently left their highly sought after positions on the giant broadcasting institution in a move that has baffled many. What could have prompted these presenters to quit their jobs? Could low salaries and lack of career development opportunities be the reason?

Monthly CCTV salary of 200,000 RMB a “myth”

Regarding the actual salaries of CCTV presenters, outspoken presenter Zhao Puceng recently stated that his basic monthly salary was only 2,968.31 RMB. He stated that he also received a payment of 200 RMB for every edition of “Morning News (朝闻天下)” that he presented, granting him an additional 3,000 RMB. Combined with his basic salary, it’s a far cry from the claims that CCTV hosts earn in excess of 200,000 RMB a month. 

In an interview with a CCTV employee, it was revealed that CCTV presenters’ salaries are largely made up of a basic monthly salary, bonuses, and subsidiaries. The amounts of these subsidiaries are reportedly a mystery, with the employee stating that aside from varying in amount from presenter to presenter, it also depended on whether or not the presenter’s ratings were high or whether they had won any awards that year. The employee stated that some former CCTV presenters had had a base salary of 9,000 RMB though were able to earn around 200,000 RMB a year through various subsidiaries.       

The employee noted however that earning cash from other sources was often strictly controlled by CCTV, though former presenters who were involved in speeches, endorsements, film, and television were able to do so without restraint. The employee also revealed that He Gui, a famed television presenter known for his involvement in various dating shows, earned around 20 million RMB per year, while fellow host Chen Luyu also earned in excess of a million RMB per year. Sports critic Huang Jianxiang is also known to be involved in various advertising campaigns as well as working with actress Xu Jinglei.   

Presenters “looking for a new platform”

Chen Luyu, also a former CCTV presenter, stated that when she left CCTV in 1996, she was looking for a new platform that was more suitable to her needs. “At CCTV I never felt like I was doing what I wanted to, so it was pretty tough. I thought if I changed my job the problem would naturally solve itself.” Liu Yuan, Director of the Promotion Department of the Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, stated that the entire broadcasting industry lacks mature, experienced presenters, meaning that high-profile presenters with a healthy amount of experience naturally have no place at CCTV.      

Ma Dong, former presenter of CCTV program “Challenge the Host,” decided to develop his career in online media after he parted ways with CCTV. When asked why he left, Ma stated that he simply wanted a fresh start. “I’m already 40, and I think people should try and live life to its full. I think that my life can only have real significance if I change my surroundings every few years.” 

Yin Hong, the Vice President of the Tsinghua University’s School of Journalism and Communication, stated that digital media grants these presenters all kinds of new freedom and opportunities: “After entering into the world of new media, their concepts of development and survival will be completely overturned.” Many netizens however have pondered as to whether the recent exodus of CCTV presenters means the network is heading downhill. “In the short-term, the departure of all these hosts isn’t good news for CCTV,” added Yin, “but in the long-run CCTV can enjoy new circulations of fresh talent behind the desks, and the constant flow of human resources is very beneficial.” 

Fresh blood the way forward

The man who took over from Li Yong as host of “Start From Happiness” (向幸福出发) was Li Jiaming, who began gaining popularity back in 2004 with his show “Happy Dictionary” (开心辞典). Li has won ten “Best Presenter” prizes over the years, and despite him not lacking in experience, Li’s previous position didn’t offer him a great amount of freedom.

Many people are familiar with Li Sisi, the young presenter who kicked off the proceedings of the 2012 Spring Festival Gala. Born in 1986, she has already presented six different shows on CCTV, and stepped up to the stage to present the Spring Festival Gala once again earlier this year. Her youth and increased television presence has made her popularity and media attention grow enormously in the past few years. Fellow young presenters such as Nige Maiti, who joined the “Happy Dictionary” team back in 2006, have also proved successful with audiences due to their personalities and distinguishing looks – proof that despite the revolving door nature of CCTV presenters coming and going, fresh blood still pays off and maintains high ratings.

Source: Wenxuecity.com
 

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Keywords: CCTV presenters CCTV presenter CCTV hosts