Recently, the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) issued and implemented the “Several Measures to Further Enrich Television Content and Promote the Supply of Radio and Television Content.” The “Several Measures” emphasize that multiple measures should be taken to strengthen content construction and increase the supply of high-quality radio and television content.

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According to media reports, the National Radio and Television Administration held an industry-specific briefing meeting to further explain the “new measures”(“21 Measures of NRTA”).

Implement the “Content Renewal Plan” to strengthen content innovation;

Improve management policies regarding the number of episodes in TV series and the interval between seasons;

- No longer simply limiting TV series to 40 episodes; if exceeding 40 episodes, separate review is required

- Eliminating the requirement that seasonal TV series must be aired with a one-year interval

- Relaxing restrictions on the proportion of historical dramas aired, with more precise and flexible policies to be formulated in the future based on actual needs

- Pilot testing a “review-as-you-air, revise-as-you-air” review and regulation mechanism applicable to series dramas, seasonal TV series, anthology dramas, sitcoms, and other genres

Improve TV drama content review work, optimize mechanisms, and enhance efficiency;

Strengthen content production and promotion; Encourage diverse themes;

- Strengthen the production, broadcast, and promotion of ultra-high-definition programs;

- Strengthen the creation of high-quality documentaries and animated films;

- Encourage and support the entry of outstanding micro-short dramas into TV broadcasts.

- Promote the introduction and broadcast of outstanding overseas programs, etc.

Strengthen the construction of relevant laws, regulations, and systems, and enhance program copyright protection.

Regarding the return of ultra-long dramas, Hu Xiang, a deputy researcher at the Development Research Center of the National Radio and Television Administration, pointed out that the length of a TV drama is an important artistic feature in itself. Especially for major revolutionary historical themes and period dramas with a large time span, sufficient length is necessary to depict the complex and ever-changing historical context and the ups and downs of individual destinies amid the transformations of a great era.

“The return of ultra-long dramas allows these genres to have a more expansive form of expression and creative space, without having to make significant cuts due to time constraints, thereby sacrificing artistic quality.”

The measures also explicitly state that “ultra-long dramas may undergo special review,” reflecting the National Radio and Television Administration's unwavering stance against “watered-down dramas,” with strict oversight to prevent their resurgence.

Hu Xiang stated, “The original intention of limiting series to 40 episodes was to prevent the emergence of ‘watered-down dramas.’” Since this policy was introduced, the industry has seen a surge in high-quality short dramas, and creative concepts have also evolved. The recent introduction of the “21 Measures” is based on the actual realities of production, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach.

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Since 2020, the Administration has advocated that TV dramas should not exceed 40 episodes, encouraging productions of 30 episodes or fewer. Over the past five years, the number of TV drama episodes has decreased significantly.

The “2024 China TV Drama Industry Development Annual Report” (jointly produced by the China TV Drama Production Industry Association, FanYing Consulting, and ZhongGuan Technology) shows that in 2024, the Chinese TV drama industry as a whole exhibited a trend of “reducing quantity while improving quality.”

The number of TV drama registrations has rebounded compared to 2023, with a year-on-year increase of 10.4%, but it remains below pre-pandemic levels, as the industry places greater emphasis on refining content and improving quality.

The number of online drama registrations has decreased, with a year-on-year decline of approximately 9.3% in the number of registrations and a year-on-year decline of approximately 27% in the number of episodes registered, indicating that the online drama market has entered a period of adjustment, with producers placing greater emphasis on the quality and market competitiveness of dramas.

The number of micro-short dramas filed for production has experienced explosive growth, with 2,653 titles filed, 602 titles released, and the actual number of micro-short dramas circulating in the market potentially reaching 20,000 to 30,000. The micro-short drama market remains in a transitional phase from quantity expansion to quality improvement.

In terms of distribution, the number of TV dramas distributed in 2024 was 115, a decrease of 26.3% compared to 156 in 2023, reflecting that the market is placing greater emphasis on the quality of dramas rather than quantity, with strict quality control measures in place. This trend is also evident in online dramas, with the number of online dramas distributed in 2024 totaling 166, a decrease of 16.6% year-on-year. From 2019 to 2024, the overall number of distribution permits for TV dramas and online dramas has shown a downward trend.

The TV drama market has exhibited new characteristics: realistic themes have stood out, and micro-short dramas have flourished.

- The rise of realistic and major themes: Realistic-themed TV series have become the mainstream in the market.

- Innovation and expansion of genre TV series: Suspense dramas, espionage dramas, and period dramas have all seen improvements in narrative techniques and ideological depth. Suspense dramas now account for a higher percentage of viewership than their numerical share, making them a standout in the market.

- The rapid development of micro-short dramas: In 2024, the micro-short drama market reached 50.4 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of 34.90%, surpassing movie box office revenue for the first time. In terms of user scale, as of June 2024, the user base for micro-short dramas reached 576 million, accounting for 52.4% of the total internet user population. In terms of business models, micro-short dramas have shifted from relying on in-app purchases (IAP) to free models (IAA), with emerging formats such as revenue-sharing short dramas, brand-customized dramas, and cultural tourism dramas emerging.

- Integration of TV and online platforms and multi-screen dissemination drive word-of-mouth: Major-themed dramas achieved both high viewership and positive word-of-mouth through the authoritative platform of CCTV and the widespread dissemination of online platforms.

- Regular expansion into overseas markets: Chinese dramas have become a regular export, with more diverse themes covering historical, contemporary, mystery, and urban genres. In 2024, drama exports accounted for over 60% of China's total program exports, demonstrating strong international influence.

- Technological innovation drives industry transformation and upgrading: The application of technologies such as AI and virtual filming has significantly improved industry production efficiency. Additionally, the adoption of ultra-high-definition technology has improved the visual quality of TV dramas, driving the industry's transition from high-definition to ultra-high-definition.

- Policy support to optimize the industry environment: For example, on December 13, 2024, the State Council issued the “Decision of the State Council on Amending and Abolishing Certain Administrative Regulations,” removing provisions related to the approval of TV drama production units, thereby lowering the industry's entry barriers. On June 1, 2024, the National Radio and Television Administration implemented the “Latest Work Guidelines on the Filing of Micro-Short Dramas,” implementing a “classified and tiered review” system for micro-short dramas, pushing the industry into a phase of stringent regulation.

However, the industry's overall production capacity has declined. 32.3% of TV drama production companies have incurred losses over the past three years, and among profitable companies, 38.7% have profits below 5 million yuan.

From the perspective of supply-side development, drama production companies face numerous critical issues that require urgent resolution, such as “excessive financial pressure,” “narrowing profit margins,” “difficulty in project financing and repayment,” “illegal recording and broadcasting of works,” and “public opinion shocks hindering operations.”

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On August 19, the National Radio and Television Administration released the main data on the broadcasting and television services industry for the first half of 2025.

Preliminary statistics show that the total revenue of the national broadcasting and television services industry in the first half of 2025 was 688.414 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.24% on a comparable basis. Among this, actual revenue was 608.154 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.76%. By entity type, broadcasting and television institutions generated total revenue of 297.605 billion yuan, while online audio-visual service institutions generated total revenue of 390.809 billion yuan. The total broadcast time for radio programs nationwide was 7.8332 million hours, and the total broadcast time for television programs was 9.3553 million hours.

As of the end of June, the total number of actual cable television users nationwide was 206 million, and the number of broadcasting and television 5G users was 35.4557 million.

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Discussions within the industry regarding the “21 Measures of NRTA” have primarily focused on details such as the removal of the 40-episode limit and the reduction of broadcast intervals. However, its deeper objective is to achieve “more high-quality content, broader dissemination, and a better environment,” thereby better meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people.

From an ESG perspective, this is not merely a policy relaxation but a industrial upgrade:

- Governance Upgrade (G): Building a Healthy Ecosystem: Copyright protection, optimized review mechanisms, and institutional development will reduce the “bad money drives out good money” phenomenon, fostering a more transparent, standardized, and sustainable industrial ecosystem.

- Social value (S) guiding content creation: The “Content Renewal Plan,” encouraging diverse themes, and promoting the introduction and overseas expansion of high-quality content, these policies guide the industry to shift from solely pursuing traffic to balancing social benefits and cultural responsibility. High-quality audiovisual products can create positive external effects in terms of enhancing public aesthetic appreciation, promoting cultural heritage, and strengthening social cohesion.

- Environmental benefits (E) integrated into production and broadcasting processes: The application of new technologies such as digitalization, ultra-high definition, and virtual filming not only improves production efficiency but also aligns with the long-term trends of green production and low-carbon development.

Looking ahead, ESG principles will be deeply integrated into the entire process of content planning, production, and dissemination. For production companies, future competition will not only be about traffic and capital but also about comprehensive ESG capabilities. Companies need to consider how to establish compliant and efficient governance structures, create works that balance commercial and social value, and implement environmental protection principles throughout the production process. For investors, when evaluating entertainment companies, in addition to financial data, their ESG ratings—including copyright compliance, positive content output, and green production practices—will become an important dimension for assessing long-term investment value.

The National Radio and Television Administration's “new measures,” guided by the principles of supply-side reform, are driving the entertainment industry toward a new landscape characterized by “better governance, stronger responsibility, and more sustainable development.” In the future, the entertainment industry will continue to achieve high-quality development under the combined efforts of industry-leading companies and professionals dedicated to excellence, driven by policy support, technological innovation, and market demand.

Finally, we invite you to discuss: What do you believe is the most important social value of a good film or television work?

Author：Qinger