Guinness World Records, the global authority on record-breaking achievements, presented China Central TV (CCTV) the world record for Most Watched National Network TV Broadcast for its annual Spring Festival Gala show. The program, which is produced especially to celebratethe Chinese New Year, had a unique reach of 498,659,000 viewers on CCTV-1, 3 and 4 in 2012 , making it the most watched national variety entertainment show in the world.  The official record certificate was presented by Guinness World Records, Global Managing Director, Mr. Alistair Richards to CCTV Vice President Mr. Luo Ming during a special "China in Cannes" reception co-hosted with Reed MIDEM as part of the celebrations to honor the Chinese delegation at this year's MIPTV market. CSM Media Research, which supplied the viewing figures for Guinness World Records verification , considered viewers aged 4 years or above who watched at least one minute of the 2012 show on either CCTV-1, 3 or 4, the three channels which aired the show at the same time. The figure refers to viewers on any one of the three channels, therefore excluding duplications . This represents almost 40% of the China TV population aged 4 years or above. Commenting on CCTV's incredible record achievement which is based on reach of audience, Alistair Richards said, "It is fitting that we celebratethis amazing achievement at MIPTV. National networks have the power to move nations and CCTV's Spring Festival Gala is the ultimate example. It reaches nearly half a billion people on the biggest holiday of their year." CCTV Vice President Luo Ming, who accepted the Guinness World Records certificate on behalf of CCTV, said, "Chinese New Year is a special time for families in China and our Spring Festival Gala has been the traditional TV entertainment highlight for three decades. Although this is a world record achieved by our viewers, it is also a record won by the staff of CCTV, who makes it possible for our television shows to reach homes right across China." The new record will be included in the next edition of the world famous Guinness World Records book. Who could be counted as a valid viewer to the Gala show for Guinness World Record?
a teenager who watched duplications on CCTV-1 a housewife who watched duplications on CCTV-2 an adult who watched the live Gala show for four minutes on CCTV-3 a three-year-old kid who watched the live Gala show for half a minute on CCTV-4