After being wooed for years by Hunan TV, has CCTV finally said “I do?”

It wasn’t long ago when China’s state-run TV resented entertainment rising star Hunan TV’s rise so much that they wouldn’t even show faces of Hunan-related artists.   Yet last month. Gao Yuanyuan and Huang Haibo‘s  Let’s get married 咱们结婚吧 became the first TV series aired simultaneous on both channel.  The series, a commissioned series by both channels, is another major step in CCTV-Hunan TV collaborations.      .

In the past, the only such show have been major “red dramas” like Qia Tong Xue Shao Nian, and that was only if it aired on CCTV first.  Now, the two are of equal status.   Not only has CCTV begun broadcasting Hunan TV primetime dramas like Spring Romance during the day, but channel 2 aired Hunan TV’s reality show “Life Exchange 变形记” during the popular 6 o’clock spot.

“Where are we going?Dad” dads promotes “Let’s get married.” Little did they know at this time that they were filming a live version of “We got married”.
 I hope this is a sign of CCTV opening up to more collaboration and entertainment.  Already, it’s made dramatic changes.  While CCTV still staggers behind in its production of idol dramas  with this year’s lackluster True love causes trouble 真爱惹麻烦 and Angel Amelie 天使艾美丽, it seems to have found its niche amongst young audiences with blockbuster documentaries like A bite of China and Instruments of a great nation 大国重器.  CCTV’s entertainment sector has also begun inviting fresh blood, including Super Girl and Boy Jiang Yingrong and Li Wei as permanent guests on Channel 1’s “Dream Partnership 梦想星搭档.”  Last year’s Hunan TV’s Lantern Festival Concert saw CCTV host Sa Beining as one of its new year hosts, while singer Zhang Jie and Jane Zhang became the first Super Girl/Boys to step on the stages of the Spring Gala last year.

Here’s to many good years of collaboration between China’s top two TV stations!