One of China Central Television's most influential programs is unlikely to return to the nation's small screens.

Zhong Siqian, the longtime producer of The Same Song, a televised tour of star-studded concerts, told West China Metropolis Daily on Thursday that the series will not be aired this or any other season.

If The Same Song has indeed ended its run, its cancellation as well as changes to several of China's more popular TV shows coincide with a notice issued by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee opposing expensive galas.

In the notice issued on Tuesday, the department strongly discourages local officials from spending public funds on lavish official celebrations and paying exorbitant appearance fees to celebrities.

Launched in 2000, The Same Song had been staged in more than 60 Chinese cities and several foreign countries. It was arguably one of China's most influential TV programs and was an effective platform for host cities to drum up publicity.

Local governments spent as much as 7 million yuan (about $1.5 million), according to Beijing-based magazine Life Week, to host and produce the show. In 2009, the program went off the air without an explanation from CCTV.

But rumors of a comeback buzzed throughout Chinese media last year when a non-televised concert was held in Meishan, Sichuan province.

Zhong told West China Metropolis Daily that the latest move is part of CCTV's stance against fancy galas.

In January, the State Administration of Film, Radio and Television issued a notice requesting frugal productions of galas, with a greater focus on content.

China's major satellite channels declared their full support for the policy. Li Hao, a publicity official for Hunan Satellite TV, told Chengdu Business Daily it will begin curtailing the number of stars in upcoming galas.

Local TV stations have begun making changes to shows. Hunan Satellite TV unexpectedly replaced its annual Chinese Valentine's Day Evening Gala with a stage drama. Shanghai Dragon TV's Chinese Idol reportedly will drop a plan to invite international stars, including David Beckham and his wife, to this year's series finale.

"Even in galas that audiences think are purely marketing vehicles, you can't tell who's paying the bill. ... It's a good policy, especially in that it will put a cap on the appearance fees of stars, which have been rocketing due to an unusually growing market," said Tan Fei, a culture critic.

Leng Song, media researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said a gala doesn't necessarily become better with greater investment.

"The money has mostly gone to celebrities, with little left for the creative staff such as directors and script writers. It's like the cooking materials are too expensive while the really important chefs are earning very little," he said. "It doesn't matter how much you've invested, but rather where you've invested."

hanbingbin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 08/16/2013 page2)