"My Hero" reality show

Television reality shows are losing their audience appeal in China, according to a market research.

It showed news, TV plays, and grand entertainment shows were the most popular.

Shanghai Evening Post quoted CSM, a company engaged in media research and TV audience measurement, as saying "last year reality TV shows were the highest rated programs, but have now lost their dominant¹ position."

The shows were criticized for their lack of originality² - Hunan TV's "Super Girl" and "Super Boy" were largely clones of "American Idol³."

The over-the-top promotion⁴ of the shows ruined audience's appetite, and the candidates were also criticized for their lack of talent, the Shanghai Evening Post said.

Industry professionals are aware of the criticism, and have been looking for new ways to entertain audiences.

Dragon TV, a member of the Shanghai Media Group (SMG), launched "My Hero" last year, a contest in search of new talent. Winners of the contest were used in a series called "The Frog Prince." But the series was criticized for poor acting⁵ and a weak plot.

The research showed news programs were quite popular last year, generating advertising⁶ revenue of 53.7 billion yuan .

People watch the news for an average of 23 minutes a day, according to the research.

CSM manager Wang Lanzhu said TV producers sometimes underestimate the audience, assuming that copying other shows adds to appeal.

"Many entertainment shows are copied, boring audiences by their repetition," he said.