Green Ratings 绿色收视率

This term was first used by China Central Television in 2006 in response to criticisms that an overemphasis on audience ratings was driving down the quality of programming. The idea of “green ratings” was to create a happy marriage between the pursuit of higher ratings and avoidance of content deemed sensational or damaging to the media’s overall credibility. [SOURCE: “Ten keywords in Chinese broadcasting research 2006”, Chen Lidan ]. [CMP: “Beijing Youth Daily editorial appeals for balance of public and commercial interests in Chinese media”].


David Bandurski

Now director of the CMP, leading the project’s research and partnerships, David joined the team in 2004 after completing his master’s degree at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He is currently an honorary lecturer at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre. He is the author of Dragons in Diamond Village (Penguin/Melville House), a book of reportage about urbanization and social activism in China, and co-editor of Investigative Journalism in China (HKU Press).