Focus (Dialogue with a famous Chinese TV producer)

Author: Ouyang Guozhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: This book carefully selects 20 of the most popular and influential brand programs from 300 CCTV programs, conducting vivid and in-depth interviews with their producers. The book primarily features interview content, supplemented with some analytical articles and numerous on-site photos of the programs to enhance the layout.
The Innovation of Super Girl Voice
1. Program Innovation: Achieving
According to the 31-city survey data provided by CSM, the viewing share of Super Girl Voice's Guangzhou elimination round once exceeded 10%, ranking highest among programs broadcast during the same time slot. When Super Girl Voice aired on Hunan TV, its viewership ranked second nationally, only behind CCTV-1. The 2005 final of Super Girl Voice had all its advertising spots booked, with 15-second ad slots priced at 112,500 yuan, surpassing the "top bidder price" of 110,000 yuan for CCTV's News Broadcast. Through Super Girl Voice, Hunan TV broke the psychological pricing barrier for advertising on provincial satellite channels compared to CCTV.
2. Market Trends: The Era of Ordinary People Making Stars
From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, variety shows like Variety Gala were popular, where celebrities were on a pedestal, and mass star worship flourished. Starting in 1995, entertainment programs entered an era dominated by game shows, represented by Happy Camp and Super Winner, characterized by celebrities entertaining the masses. At the turn of the century, quiz and gambling-style programs became mainstream, such as Lucky 52 and Happy Dictionary, which emphasized audience interaction and participation. In 2004, the "Ordinary People Making Stars" movement erupted, with programs like Super Girl Voice and China Dream marking the era where entertainment programs shifted to mass self-entertainment.
3. Product Positioning: Differentiated Competition
Super Girl Voice didn't rely on celebrities to entertain the public but instead played the creative trump card of "the public entertaining the public." At its core, it wasn't a professional-level competition but a mass entertainment event involving everyone, unlike the CCTV Youth TV Singer Competition, which emphasized artistry and professionalism. "Mass appeal" is the most core keyword in the Super Girl Voice brand dictionary. Its barrier-free "open selection" with no restrictions on singing style, appearance, or geographical location created the largest "Ordinary People Making Stars" movement in China. The humble "super" brand has the ability to cover audiences of all age groups, becoming a family-friendly, mass-participation brand that influences groups centered around families.
4. Product Design: The Competition Format Determines Influence
Open Selection Phase—Building on the 2004 barrier-free open selection, introducing segments like "If You Want to Sing, Sing" and "If You Want to Say, Say." Adding an audience commentary panel, where volunteers selected by the production team could attend the live show to express opinions on contestants and judges, with "If You Want to Say, Say" as the theme.
Elimination and Advancement Phase—In the 50-20, 20-10, 10-7, 7-5, and 5-3 elimination rounds, introducing the concept of the "Family Stage." Increasing the weight of the "" (family supporters) in the program, with contestants' families (parents or relatives) participating live as part of the competition content. Hosts, judges, families, and contestants interact, enhancing the program's humanistic care and approachability while maintaining the intensity of the competition, and creating a space to tell the behind-the-scenes stories of Super Girl Voice.
Finals Phase—Introducing the concepts of "City Voices" and "Voice Summer Camp"