数百万的中国观众着迷西方电视剧

 　　Laura Carmichael in Downton Abbey, which attracted an audience of 160 million viewers. Photograph: Nick Briggs/AP

　　劳拉·卡尔迈克尔在唐顿庄园剧照，该剧吸引了一亿六千万观众。

　　数百万的中国观众着迷西方电视剧1.jpg

　　The fact that subtitled episodes of Downton Abbey are watched by160 million viewers shows just what a love affair the Chinese have developed with foreign television shows and formats² remade for their market. With BigBrother and Educating Yorkshire the latest shows to be lined up for a Chinese makeover, it's boom time for those exporting hit western programmes to the world's most populous³ nation.

　　《唐顿庄园》该加个副标题，一亿六千万收视的爱情剧，中国人已经开始为发展海外剧场重置节目和格式。《老大哥》和《约克郡教育纪事》最近排上了中国人的改编名单，这是西方节目出口到世界人口大国激增的时代。

　　China is the fastest-growing market for the sale of Britishshows and formats, with growth of 40% last year. While it is still relatively⁴ small in revenue terms, the opportunity is immense. "In the UK a top-rated TVshow may just get into double-digit millions (in audience size), but China has1.4 billion people and gets easily double, triple or quadruple that," says PierreCheung, vice-president of greater China for BBC Worldwide. "The market is amassive opportunity."

　　中国是不列颠秀和记录片销售增长最快的市场，去年高达百分之四十。虽然进账还不算高，但潜力巨大。在英国最好的秀收视率会达到千万级（在观众数量上），而中国有14亿人，收视会是双倍、三倍甚至四倍。BBC全球中国区副总Pierre Cheung说，这个市场潜力巨大。

　　China's Got Talent, a local versionof Simon Cowell's ITV hit, has seen viewers top 400 million an episode. Locally produced versions of western franchises⁵ combine the sheen of the exotic withthe familiarity of local aesthetics⁶. Singing competitions are especially popular: China's Got Talent, The Voice of China and a version of The X Factor(China's Strongest Voice) have all been major hits.

　　中国达人秀，ITV本土西门克威尔电视秀的中国版，每集收视高达4亿。西方授权本土制作兼具异国情调和(中国)当地审美。歌曲比赛类尤其受欢迎：中国达人秀，中国好声音和X音素（激情唱响）均已登陆（中国市场）。

　　Last month the BBC unveiled China's take on Top Gear on national broadcaster Shanghai Dragon TV, featuring a double Olympic gold diving champion, the presenter⁷ of Chinese Idol⁸ and a pop star turned actor in place of British hostsJeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.

　　据上月BBC报道《top gear》再次被中国上海东方卫视引进，他们用一个奥运会双项冠军，《中国偶像》主持人和一个流行歌手来代替大不列颠版的主持人Jeremy Clarkson, James May 和RichardHammond。

　　These shows are strikingly different from their western counterparts. The Voiceof China, the most popular show in 2013, began the nearly three-hour finale ofits third season on 7 October with a soaring shot of the Great Wall; avoiceover praised China's thousands of years of history. The show then cut to testimonials from fans and former contestants⁹: an elderly man, a middle-classfamily, a farmer, a foreign tourist in Tiananmen square.

　　这些秀和他们西方原版完全不同。中国好声音，2013年（中国）最火的秀，9月7第三季近三小时的结局篇开头拍了一堆长城镜头，画外音还赞美了中国几千年的历史。接着镜头切到了粉丝和前选手感言：一位老人，一户中产阶级家庭，一个农民兄弟，一只逛天安门广场的老外。

　　"The Voice of China lets all of us music lovers bravely pursue our dreams,"said a man carrying a lute¹⁰. Sentimental¹¹ ballads¹² are the order of the day.Judges are unwaveringly supportive.

　　一只琵琶哥说“中国好声音给所有的音乐爱好者提供了追求梦想滴机会。”凄美悲凉的情歌扎堆，而评委们都毫不动摇地支持。

　　Next up are remakes of documentary Educating Yorkshire and the potentially tricky¹³ prospect¹⁴ of a Chinese Big Brother. The sometimes risqué content that comes with Big Brother territory frequently lands the show in hot water with UK watchdog Of com – which has nothing on China's all-powerful State Administrationof Radio, Film and Television, a notoriously twitchy regulator that acts as acultural guardian¹⁵.

　　再下来是重制的中国版记录片《约克郡教育纪事》和潜力无限的《老大哥》.有时为了拯救收视老大哥频繁涉黄，这会招惹到英国通信监管部——比起天朝的广电总局的权限他很小儿科，仅仅是守护文化的调节器。

　　It has pulled shows at the first hint of attitudes or depictions that show China or its people in a poor light. In 2011 it banned X Factor-style talentshow Super Girl, which has attracted audiences of up to 400 million, and announced last autumn it would stop satellite TV stations from broadcasting more than one foreign-format¹ show a year. Stations have replaced these programmes with others the government deems more acceptable, such asdocumentaries about Communist party history. The problem is that nobody wantsto watch them.

　　给中国观众的节目展示做的不怎么好。2011年，一个类似X音素模式叫做超级女声的秀被禁，它有4亿观众，去年秋天卫星广播电视宣布停播了至少一个外国秀。电视台用诸如共党史记录片这类可能被接受的节目填补砍掉的秀。问题是压根没人看。

　　数百万的中国观众着迷西方电视剧2.jpeg

　　Fans of the talent show Super Girl in 2005. The hugely popular programme was banned by China's broadcasting regulator in 2011. Photograph:China Photos/Getty Images.

　　2005年超级女声秀粉，这具有庞大收视率的节目在2011年被中国电视台砍了。

　　There have been reports that the BBC's Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch, was banned from major channels. However the BBC's Cheung denies this, saying itjust took time for the show to move from airing on a Chinese video site to being broadcast on China's state broadcaster CCTV.

　　有报道说BBC家卷福的夏洛克在（中国）主要电视台被禁止。不过BBC的张否认了这点，解释说节目从国家视频站挪到中国国家广播电台CCTV后换了时间段。

　　Martha Brass¹⁶, chief operating officer at Big Brother producer Endemol, says careful collaboration¹⁷ with its partner Youku Tudou – China's answer to YouTube – willsee a sanitised version make it past the censor¹⁸. "In any country you obviously have to look at the cultural and regulatory environment, and we are well awareof that in relation to China," she says. "Big Brother is actually a veryflexible format. In the Philippines it is very much a family show, and inAustralia we have run it in different time slots for different audiences. We feel confident about our ability to address the particular TV regulations inChina."

　　玛莎布拉斯，《老大哥》首席运营官说，跟优酷土豆——中国的油土鳖合作要小心翼翼——（中国）为营造一个干净的环境正在各种审查。“去任何国家，你都要注意它的文化和监管环境，我们跟中国相处的还不赖。”她说，“老大哥其实可以很灵活，在菲律宾他是个很棒的家庭秀；在澳大利亚，不同时间段我们满足不同观众。在中国的电视广播规则下我们也很有信心。”

　　The rise of Chinese video services such as Sohu TV, Tencent and iQiyi hasopened a huge new potential market for foreign programme rights ownersl.The third series of Sherlock has notched¹⁹ up more than 70 million views online,while US show The Big Bang Theory, the most popular foreign show in China, has been viewed more than 1.4bn times on video sites."New media platforms are just starting to get into deals for more and more foreign shows," says Paul Sandler, managing director of Objective Productions."That could have a massive impact on the market for content."

　　中国的视频行业正在崛起，诸如搜狐、腾讯、爱奇艺已经为外国节目版权开放了一个巨大潜力无限的市场。夏洛克第三季视频点击超过7亿，而生活大爆炸作为中国最受欢迎的美剧，点击次数超过14亿。“新媒体平台开始涉足并不断扩大外国节目交易量，”节目总监Paul Sandler说“这个市场的容量影响巨大。”

　　However the rise in online viewing, and the popularity of foreign shows has been seen as a threat by the state regulator. In April, video streaming websites were told to "clean up" and stop showing The Big Bang Theory as wellas US shows The Good Wife, NCIS and The Practice. Shows that might be thought much more likely to outrage²⁰ the watchdog – The Walking Dead, House of Cards and Breaking Bad – were unaffected.As recently as three years ago China was considered something of a "Wild East" for foreign production companies, replete²¹ with tales of the impossibility of doing deals and a culture of ripping off hit foreign formats without paying for rights.

　　然而在线视屏地崛起，英美剧的流行也让监管部门感受到了威胁。今年4月，网络视频掀起“整顿风”，生活大爆炸、傲骨贤妻、NCIS和律师本色被查办。而那些很大可能被监管部门认为不适合的——行尸走肉，纸牌屋和绝命毒师——都没事。三年前，中国还被某些外国公司认做是没有人权做不成事以及排斥外来文化的“野蛮的东方”。

　　"If China wants to be taken seriously in the international market they have totreat intellectual property with proper respect," says Sandler, who has donedeals for three series of a Chinese version of gameshow The Cube. "There is awill from the government to have a proper IP protection structure; it isnowhere near as bad as it was a few years ago."Sandler believes that for the Chinese TV industry the aim is to collaborate²² andlearn about how to develop hit shows that they can export.China has some interesting homegrown hits, including a nationwide competitionin the vein²³ of Great British Bake Off but based on calligraphy²⁴; roughly translated, its title is Idiom Hero. But there is some way to go to make internationally appealing shows.

　　“中国要想在国际市场受到重视，他们必须尊重知识产权，”刚同中方交易完三期游戏节目《魔方》版权的Sandler说，“政府现在很有意愿构造保护体制，远比几年前好多了。”Sandler认为中国电视业的合作目标很清晰，那就是要学习如何发展并出口。中国有一些好玩的本土流行玩意，像不列颠烘焙大赛那样的全国性竞赛，不过都是一些文字艺术，简单说点就是成语英雄啦这类。用些方法包装下也是有国际吸引力的节目。

　　"The truth is the real aim of all the broadcasters and government in China isto develop homegrown Chinese shows and export them," he says. "The same way as(they have) with cars, computers, white goods, you name it. We are trying to collaborate to come up with some genuinely good formats."

　　“事实上中国电台和政府的真实目的是发展中国本土秀并出口，”他说，“同样的事已经有很多先例，汽车、电脑、你能想到的大个家用电器。我们正在努力合作并争取多想出些好点子来。”

　　Not everyone is impressed. For a market of 1.4 billion people, a total of ￡17m in sales of British programmes and formats in 2013 seems like a "long walk for a short drink", says one senior UK TV executive. But Cheung counters that. He says it is a slow-burn culture about building relationships, and the real cash will follow: "You have to get involved and engage the partners personally; proper trust takes time. It is challenging but at same time exciting. If you can crack China, it makes any other market easy."

　　当然也不是每个人都印象深刻。2013年，不列颠在这个14亿人口市场的节目和读物销售额总数是一千七百万英镑，看上去“功倍事半”英国某资深电视管理层说。但是张不同意他的看法。他说文化交流的构建是慢工细活，赚钱要循序渐进：“你必须要跟合伙人兼容，相互信任需要时间。这不仅是挑战同样也令人振奋。如果你能打开中国市场，进入其他市场会变得相当容易。”

1 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

2 formats   

n.（出版物的）版式( format的名词复数 )；[电视]电视节目的总安排（或计划）

参考例句：

• They are producing books in all kinds of different formats. 他们出版各种不同开本的书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A true GUI includes standard formats for representing text and graphics. 真正的图形用户界面包括表示文字和图形的标准格式。 来自互联网

3 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

4 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 franchises   

n.（尤指选举议员的）选举权( franchise的名词复数 )；参政权；获特许权的商业机构（或服务）；（公司授予的）特许经销权v.给…以特许权，出售特许权( franchise的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder. 电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ford dealerships operated as independent franchises. 福特汽车公司的代销商都是独立的联营商。 来自辞典例句

6 aesthetics   

n.(尤指艺术方面之)美学，审美学

参考例句：

• Sometimes, of course, our markings may be simply a matter of aesthetics. 当然，有时我们的标点符号也许只是个审美的问题。 来自名作英译部分
• The field of aesthetics presents an especially difficult problem to the historian. 美学领域向历史学家提出了一个格外困难的问题。

7 presenter   

n.（电视、广播的）主持人，赠与者

参考例句：

• Most people think being a television presenter is exciting.很多人认为当电视节目主持人是一件刺激的事情。
• The programme dispensed with its most popular presenter.这个节目最受欢迎的主持人被换掉了。

8 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

9 contestants   

n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 lute   

n.琵琶，鲁特琴

参考例句：

• He idly plucked the strings of the lute.他漫不经心地拨弄着鲁特琴的琴弦。
• He knows how to play the Chinese lute.他会弹琵琶。

11 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

12 ballads   

民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴

参考例句：

• She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening. 她整晚一个接一个地大唱民谣和乡村小调。
• She taught him to read and even to sing two or three little ballads,accompanying him on her old piano. 她教他读书，还教他唱两三首民谣，弹着她的旧钢琴为他伴奏。

13 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

14 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

15 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

16 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

17 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

18 censor   

n./vt.审查，审查员；删改

参考例句：

• The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。
• The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。

19 notched   

a.有凹口的，有缺口的

参考例句：

• Torino notched up a 2-1 win at Lazio. 都灵队以2 比1 赢了拉齐奧队。
• He notched up ten points in the first five minutes of the game. 他在比赛开始后的五分钟里得了十分。

20 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

21 replete   

adj.饱满的，塞满的；n.贮蜜蚁

参考例句：

• He was replete with food and drink.他吃喝得饱饱的。
• This immense space may be replete with happiness and glory.这巨大的空间可能充满了幸福和光荣。

22 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

23 vein   

n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络

参考例句：

• The girl is not in the vein for singing today.那女孩今天没有心情唱歌。
• The doctor injects glucose into the patient's vein.医生把葡萄糖注射入病人的静脉。

24 calligraphy   

n.书法

参考例句：

• At the calligraphy competition,people asked him to write a few characters.书法比赛会上，人们请他留字。
• His calligraphy is vigorous and forceful.他的书法苍劲有力。