Features of Prime-Time Programming of Popular Satellite TV Channels in China (Hunan TV, Zhejiang TV and Jiangsu TV)

Features of programming of the leading satellite TV channels of China, Hunan TV, Zhejiang TV and Jiangsu TV in prime time are investigated. The evening broadcast is a landmark period for television broadcasters. The study showed that most of the airtime on Hunan TV, Zhejiang TV and Jian­gsu TV is occupied by entertainment content. At the same time, about 31–40 % of the airtime is devoted to socially significant programs, they are more diverse in terms of topics discussed and forms. For educational and socially-oriented content, television channels choose popular genre-format forms, for example, reality shows, shows, talk shows, striving to reveal important topics to the widest possible audience. The study showed that the two most popular TV channels in China, Hunan TV and Zhejiang TV, have a similar programming strategy: TV channels mainly broadcast news, series and reality shows. Jiangsu TV's programming is slightly different: in addition to television series and prime-time news, the channel broadcasts a political talk show and a talk show about love. Weekday programming, from Monday to Thursday, is often the same on the channels: TV series and news are on the air. On Friday and Saturday, the number of their own journalistic projects in popular genres and formats (reality shows, shows, talk shows, contests) increases. Hunan TV, the leader of the Chinese market of satellite provincial TV channels, has a more coherent programming, built according to the rhythm of the audience's life. Zhejiang TV and Jiangsu TV have a more chaotic programming strategy.