Audience participation, made possible by the Internet, made the new gala
different from CCTV's. Drawing from the success of SuperGirl-style PK
competition, Kook.com began soliciting homemade videos in September.
It received 600 responses from aspiring amateur singers and actors and
invited the performers to Beijing to pre-record the show.
After the gala was shown on January 26, viewers could vote online for their
favourite acts.
"The online gala gave people a chance to have fun while staying at home
during the holiday with their families," said Hu Xiaolu, marketing director of
Kook.com.
Although Kook.com received fewer videos than it expected, the show received
positive responses, Hu said. The company plans to hold a larger,
better-publicized gala again next year.
Virtual greetings
The Internet is also providing an alternative to another Spring Festival
tradition - paper holiday cards.
Virtual cards and text message greetings have replaced the traditional red
paper cards as ways to wish distant friends and family a happy holiday. During
last year's Spring Festival, Chinese people sent 11 billion virtual messages
during the seven-day vacation.
