The Research About The Development Stages Of CCTV News Reports About The World Table Tennis Championships

CIn China, table tennis enjoys a good reputation of being a national game. The reason why it's called China's national game is as follows.First, during a period, China could take part in only one international sports contest, namely table tennis matches. Second, China's first world champion is the table tennis champion. Third, it assisted China and US to open their doors to each other. Fourth, it brings about lasting honor to China. In the process where table tennis became China's national game,World Table Tennis Championships(short for WTTC) and relevant reports played an important role. In particular, China Central Television's(short for CCTV) coverage of WTTC can not be ignored.Relying on expert interviews, document literature and text analysis as major methods, this article makes longitudinal comparison and analysis of CCTV's coverage of WTTC since 1959 in terms of its form, theme and influence. The research unveils that CCTV's coverage of WTTC can be divided into 5 stages. They are the germination stage(1959-1965), the initial stage(1971-1979), the evolution stage(1981-1993), the maturation stage(1995-2003) and the innovation stage(2005-2015).During the germination stage(1959-1965), CCTV's coverage of WTTC was in three major forms, news, live broadcast and documentary. Among the three major forms, document was the best. The theme in this period was to carry forward our national spirit of rising to challenges and to showcase Chinese nation's confidence. The coverage motivated the development of table tennis in China, improved television transmission technologies and advanced and expanded Chinese nation's spirit of fighting relentlessly.During the initial stage(1971-1979), CCTV's coverage of WTTC was in two main forms, news and documentary. The theme was friendship first an competition second. The coverage fostered the success of China's diplomacy. Meanwhile it sped up the setting of table tennis as the national game and increased cultural exchanges between China and the restof the world.During the evolution stage(1981-1993), while documentary gradually stepped down from the stage of history, news reports rose, video coverage began to emerge and live broadcast increased. The theme was openness and inclusiveness. The coverage boosted the dissemination of table tennis techniques and presented to the outside world China's open image.During the maturation stage(1995-2003), coverage on special matches started arising and television live broadcast leaped forward.The theme was peace, friendship, prosperity and development. The coverage advanced the development of the domestic table tennis market and material suppliers and improved Chinese people's sports life.During the innovation stage(2005-2015), the live broadcast of WTTC has achieved all-round innovation and interviews have become supplementary. The theme is civilization, friendship and health. The coverage influences the setting of the playing time of table tennis matches, nurtures a group of table tennis consumers and raises the commercial value of table tennis players.