2026 China TV Advertising Trends: CCTV & Provincial Insights

The China TV hard advertising market in 2025 experienced a period of contraction and plateau, reflecting both macroeconomic pressures and changing media consumption patterns. Despite the overall decline in brand numbers and ad duration, structural differentiation within the market became evident. High-trust platforms such as CCTV strengthened their position, while provincial channels showed varying performance. Industries such as food and beverages maintained growth, whereas pharmaceuticals faced significant declines. These insights provide key guidance for brands and advertisers navigating the Chinese TV advertising landscape.

1.0 Market Overview: Contraction and Plateau

Across 49 CCTV and provincial channels, hard advertising volumes declined, with brand counts falling 1.8% year-on-year and total ad duration dropping 6.35%. Prime-time evening slots (19:30–22:00) were the most affected, with brand count reductions significantly exceeding the daily average. Historical trends show that after declines from 2020–2022 and a temporary rebound in 2023–2024, 2025 stabilized at a platform level, reflecting a mature market.

2.0 Media Landscape: CCTV Dominance and Provincial Divergence

CCTV continued to consolidate its market leadership:

• CCTV-17 (Agriculture & Rural Channel)led daytime ad placements with 3,800+ clients, attracting brands from food, beverage, and essential consumer sectors.
• CCTV-1prime-time slots recorded a 1% increase in client numbers, with new entrants from entertainment and internet brands.

Provincial channels exhibited divergent trends:

• Jiangsu TVled daytime clients but saw declines in brand count and duration.
• Hunan TVdominated evening slots with 33% growth.
• Anhui TVmaintained the highest overall ad duration among provincial networks.

3.0 Industry Performance: Winners and Losers

The industry landscape highlighted clear winners and laggards:

• Food & Beverage: Outperformed the market, with brand count and ad duration both increasing. Health supplements led subcategories, growing 79% YoY.
• Pharmaceuticals: Experienced steep declines (-32.52% YoY), particularly in rheumatism and bone disease drugs (-57.91%), while cardiovascular drugs remained the top subcategory.
• Other Sectors: Liquor saw client attrition exceed new entrants, whereas beverages and personal care maintained positions among top brands.

4.0 Client Flow and Strategic Implications

Market churn was significant, with 7,260 brands exiting in 2025. New clients concentrated in food, pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, and home appliances, with some choosing CCTV-only placements to leverage credibility and reach. The attrition of brands in traditional sectors underscores intensified competition and budget adjustments.

Advertisers are increasingly channeling investments toward high-trust, high-reach platforms, emphasizing efficiency and measurable impact amid tighter budgets.

5.0 Contact Our Team Today

The 2025 TV hard advertising market demonstrates overall contraction with structural differentiation. Key strategic implications include:

• Media prioritization: Focus on CCTV and other high-trust platforms for maximum reach and credibility.
• Industry targeting: Allocate resources to essential consumer categories such as food and beverages.
• Adaptability: Monitor client churn and adjust placements to maintain visibility and optimize ROI.

Traditional TV remains a powerful medium for audiences in middle-aged and regional markets, offering authority, credibility, and resilience in specific categories and time slots.

**OctoPlus Media** supports brands in navigating China’s TV advertising market, optimizing spend, and ensuring precise targeting of high-value audiences.