CCTV's Spring Festival Gala show challenged by provincial broadcasters

When China Central Television (CCTV) announced late last month that Canadian singer Celine Dion would perform for the 2013 Spring Festival Gala, the news wasn't met with the kind of buzz that organisers expected.

Analysts and viewers say that's because the annual gala - the most-watched show in the mainland each year - has lost some of its lustre as it faces increasing competition from provincial-level broadcasters that host their own shows to ring in the Lunar New Year.

All broadcasters are required by authorities to air CCTV's gala on Saturday, but the local stations are also preparing unique programmes that are expected to draws large audiences.

Anhui Satellite TV announced that its gala, to air on Friday, will feature a performance by British singer and actress Sarah Brightman, and Shanghai-based Dragon TV has hired South Korean pop star Park Jae-sang, aka Psy, to perform his famous Gangnam Style song and dance for the broadcaster's gala on Sunday.

While CCTV's celebration will air virtually unchallenged in its time slot, the competition to hire the best performers has benefited local broadcasters by enabling them to offer shows that appeal to a more specific demographic, unlike the national gala, which tries to appeal to everyone.

Li Jingwen, a 32-year-old professional living in Beijing, prefers provincial stations "because they're more dedicated to young people and much more entertaining". But her family also always watches CCTV's gala, possibly while doing other things such as chatting or playing mahjong. "It's not that we are really watching it," Li said. "It is just part of the Spring Festival culture."