You Xiaogang of TV Drama Association: Compared with advertising, content is a big problem

In the current situation of "two episodes a day" TV series, in order to ensure a balance in revenue between TV stations and the Internet, due consideration can be given to agreeing to have commercial breaks in a limited, controlled and standardized manner, and to compress the opening, end, and two episodes. Advertisements between the two episodes will be more conducive to viewing by the audience.

Previously, the "Several Suggestions on Strengthening the TV Drama Market" that China Television Drama Production Industry Association planned to internally submit to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television were leaked. Although all six suggestions point to many issues related to the survival of the industry, such as TV drama market transactions, standardized contracts, and institutional construction, it seems that only "resuming intervening advertising" has won the headlines. The president's anger is that public opinion pays little attention to issues that directly affect public interests and the education of the next generation."Is it meaningful to just make a fuss about advertising for 30 seconds or 45 seconds?"

For example, the recent request by the competent authorities to put an end to "gambling on TV dramas" is actually caused by the pollution of ratings. When ratings become an important indicator of the valuation of a TV series, the producers and broadcasters often sign a gambling agreement when trading. For example, a TV series broadcast on a TV station some time ago cost 1.6 million yuan per episode. Due to the sluggish TV drama industry, the producer can only sell it for 1 million yuan. They also have to ensure the ratings. If they cannot achieve it, they can only get 50% or 60% of the final payment.

According to a survey by China Television Drama Production Industry Association, since the beginning of 2015, although the competent authorities have adopted various methods such as "two stars for one drama", the inflated cost of TV drama shooting has not been controlled. A sample survey of national satellite channels other than CCTV showed that 67% of the ratings dropped, and the cost of purchasing dramas increased by 70%.

Amid the chaos, China TV Drama Production Industry Association decided to "write a letter." On issues related to the "petition", the president accepted an exclusive interview in his official capacity.

If there is a problem with the content, it will be many times more serious than the commercial break.

Question: In the "Six Letters", what do you think is the most critical issue?

Answer: Aiming at the market, aiming at creation, aiming at the content and quality of the work. After the implementation of the policies of "two stars for one drama" and "two episodes for one day", demand has been reduced by more than one-third compared with before. How can films produced with so much money be digested?

The primary goal of hot money is to chase profits. But strictly speaking, TV dramas are long-term products and require rational creation. Everyone pursues maximizing profits, so buy IP now, and then remake, copy, copy, make the plot, pattern the plot, and make the characters look beautiful. For these, people in their thirties, forties and forties may have the ability to distinguish and resist, but it is very damaging to teenagers. So many dramas of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, love triangle dramas, fantasy dramas, and anti-Japanese god dramas have neither historical truth, nor the shaping of human nature, nor a correct understanding of life and basic human cultural connotations. May I ask, how much positive significance do these things that look high-looking, bright and gorgeous on the surface have to society? Can it represent the basic quality of our country's cultural products? Therefore, the key issue for current TV dramas is content, social values and artistic aesthetic standards.

Question: However, nowadays, drama has also received some criticism. What do you think of this issue?

Answer: The forms of expression can be rich and colorful, but the creative stance, work orientation, and cultural connotation are the foundation. Works with positive content, conveying correct values, and connotation are often dismissed as "too positive" and cannot be broadcast. On the contrary, TV stations seek to survive by grandstanding. The entertainment media has attracted attention, and gossip has become popular, promoting ugliness into surprise, adding fuel to the flames. This brings you to a question: What kind of programs should satellite TV allow and encourage to broadcast during prime time? The satellite TV channel is approved to allow everyone to listen to the voices of the party and the government in a timely manner. Which country and every province in the world have satellite channels running in the sky? No. In Russia, there are only seven satellite stations that actually fly in the sky. There are not so many in the United States.

Satellite TV is established for news. It has never said that it is established for entertainment. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has never said that when the state approved it, there were also clear regulations. But what about current TV stations? The recent popular fantasy drama is aimed at teenagers aged 12 to 16, all of whom are minors; on August 1st, Army Day, some satellite TV stations have launched a reality show. Some stars are gorgeous and luxurious, and each person rides in a high-end car. What is this spreading? It made people stunned. In terms of the general rules for content management of TV dramas, we have just finished studying it. Excessive luxury is not enough. Healthy content must be provided.

Maybe after more than 40 years of work, we were finally forced to withdraw from prime time on satellite TV. Why is it impossible? If you are not healthy, you withdraw.

The main problems are the falsification of ratings and the pollution of viewers.

Question: After four years of implementation of the "Broadcasting Restriction Order", why did the association raise the issue of resuming advertising in TV dramas this time?

Answer: Strictly speaking, commercial breaks have no direct relationship with the production industry. They have nothing to do with film purchase fees, let alone profit sharing. They are entirely the income of the TV station. It has been half a year since "one drama, two stars" and "two prime time episodes" were officially implemented. Our association has investigated the advertising operations of some first-and second-line satellite stations. Compared with 2014, 70% of satellite TV stations have declined; satellite TV stations participating in the survey all expressed their hope to resume advertising, but not excessive advertising. Nowadays, advertisements are not allowed to be inserted in the middle. The more advertisements are broadcast before and after the TV series, and the revenue is reduced. In fact, it is a waste. Under the impact of new media, TV station advertisements have been lost in large quantities. In the current situation of "two episodes a day" TV series, in order to ensure a balance in revenue between TV stations and the Internet, due consideration can be given to agreeing to have commercial breaks in a limited, controlled and standardized manner, and to compress the opening, end, and two episodes. Advertisements between the two episodes will be more conducive to viewing by the audience. The issue of inter-commercial breaks is not complicated. The other parts of our six suggestions, including how to enter the market for trading TV dramas, how to regulate TV drama contract issues, and how to promote institutionalization, are all big issues.

Question: In your opinion, how can the problem with TV series content be corrected

? Answer: The problem should be considered from the perspective of production management. TV dramas have a film review system, which is not solved by simply listing a few items, but by solving the problem of direction. If we want to solve the problem of direction, we still need to approve what programs to put on mainstream channels. There must be guidance in this regard. It was not that it was not allowed to be broadcast after the film was made, but that he was told from the beginning that what kind of film he wanted to make and which kind of film he wanted to make might not be approved for broadcast. Television stations are public institutions, can they not change it? The opinions we have put forward are all related to institutional construction-to produce good content, how to ensure a system without fairness? Moreover, some problems are based on institutional flaws, including viewership versus gambling agreements. In the final analysis, the main problems are the falsification of ratings and the pollution of viewers. What is a bet against a bet is nothing more than a bet between the producers and broadcasters, whether you make a mistake or I make a mistake.

Question: Is it the ratings that push the producers and broadcasters to a dead end?

Answer: Yes. Television stations need high ratings. They have tasks and rankings. Now, this will lead to not competing based on strength, but engaging in these false tricks. In comparison, Beijing TV has always broadcast more serious and culturally quality TV dramas, but it is really not at the top of the rankings! It struggled in extreme pain until it finally did not fall out of the top 10. Isn't this a tragedy? Both producers and broadcasters should not force each other to make mistakes. There will not be a TV station director who will say, I hope my TV station is supported by false numbers. I can say with certainty that except for some people and institutions with bad intentions, most production companies have already spent money on producing TV dramas, and they are willing to use the money to beg those "mice" who specialize in counterfeiting. You have to give it to me. Make a fake number. Nowadays, many companies spend money just to buy a product that will not be faked under such abnormal circumstances. How sad! We once went specifically to talk to Soffrey, and they racked their brains to keep the data fair, because they also relied on it for a living. They could all tell the change in the ratings. The question is, even if you see abnormalities, what can you do? He can only provide what kind of ratings data is abnormal and what to do with it by the competent department when it gets it. This is a fundamental issue.

Without ethics, this industry will face a collapse crisis.

Question: Is introducing multiple third-party viewing and research institutions the solution?

Answer: It's very simple. You treat the plague first. If we don't treat it, what difference will it make no matter how many people are introduced? It will get worse and worse. It's not just TV series gambling, but is the data behind the reality TV program clean? If we degenerate into being based on numbers, money, and unethical, this industry will have a collapse crisis. Who will supervise? It is neither a television station nor a production company. It needs to be governed by the state and governed by public authorities.

Question: What do you think is the healthiest development model for the TV drama industry?

Answer: According to General Secretary Xi's speech, it is highly ideological, has strong artistic appeal, and at the same time has good market benefits. This is not contradictory. Sadly, reality shows are now being hyped even higher, with tens of millions of yuan per episode. Do you feel healthy? After "two stars for one drama", I thought that the actor's salary could come down. Has it come down? If actors can get 1 million to 5 million yuan by participating in a variety show, why do they want to act in a TV series? Resources have been used excessively and inappropriately, and TV stations have lost the rationality that they should adhere to and the artistic standards and ideological standards that they should adhere to under the requirements of ratings figures. The most passive thing is the manufacturing industry. We are not in labor pain, but in pain everywhere. In the final analysis, the TV drama industry has a lot of helplessness. We still hope that in the process of continuous discovery and improvement, deviations will be adjusted and the industry will be self-disciplined. Coupled with national guidance and institutional guarantees, a good order will be created and development will be developed forward. This is the purpose and content of our suggestions to the leading departments.

Editor: vian