中国中央电视台春节联欢晚会日前在法国戛纳国际电视节期间被认定为“全球收看人数最多的晚会”，荣获吉尼斯世界纪录证书。

Guinness World Records, the global authority on record-breaking achievements, presented China Central TV (CCTV) the world record for Most Watched National Network TV Broadcast for its annual Spring Festival Gala show. The program, which is produced especially to celebrate the Chinese New Year, had a unique reach of 498,659,000 viewers on CCTV-1, 3 and 4 in 2012 - making it the most watched national variety entertainment show in the world.

The official record certificate was presented by Guinness World Records, Global Managing Director, Mr. Alistair Richards to CCTV Vice¹ President Mr. Luo Ming during a special "China in Cannes" reception co-hosted with Reed MIDEM as part of the celebrations to honor the Chinese delegation² at this year's MIPTV market.

CSM Media Research, which supplied the viewing figures for Guinness World Records verification, considered viewers aged³ 4 years or above who watched at least one minute of the 2012 show on either CCTV-1, 3 or 4, the three channels which aired the show simultaneously⁴. The figure refers to viewers on any one of the three channels, thus excluding duplications. This represents almost 40% of the China TV population aged 4 years or above.

Commenting on CCTV's incredible record achievement which is based on reach of audience, Alistair Richards Global Managing Director for Guinness World Records said: "It is fitting that we celebrate this amazing achievement at MIPTV. National networks have the power to move nations and CCTV's Spring Festival Gala is the ultimate example. It reaches nearly half a billion people on the biggest holiday of their year."

CCTV Vice President Luo Ming, who accepted the Guinness World Records certificate on behalf of CCTV, said: "Chinese New Year is a special time for families in China and our Spring Festival Gala has been the traditional TV entertainment highlight for three decades. Although this is a world record achieved by our viewers, it is also a record won by the staff of CCTV, who makes it possible for our television shows to reach homes right across China."

The new record will be included in the next edition of the world famous Guinness World Records book.