The 2026 Spring Festival Gala, a cornerstone of Chinese New Year celebrations, has set new benchmarks in audience engagement. China Media Group’s flagship event garnered 23.063 billion total views on domestic media by early February 17, a 37.3% increase over last year. Live television dominance was evident with a 79.29% viewer share, unmatched in over a decade.
Minute-by-minute averages revealed 325 million concurrent viewers, while online peaks exceeded 400 million—a testament to seamless multi-platform integration. Domestic new media exploded with 16.207 billion views, boasting a 49% growth, fueled by live streaming and VOD.
Online fervor peaked with 1,939 topics trending and 27.12 billion readership by midday. Globally, the Gala’s broadcast in 85 languages yielded 2.309 billion views and 843 million video plays, reflecting 32.85% and 43.61% gains. As families worldwide joined the festivities, the event reaffirmed its status as a global phenomenon bridging cultures.