Plug pulled on live grassroots TV show

Plans to stage a live three-hour television special to rival CCTV's iconic Chinese New Year broadcast have been scaled back.

China Countryside Television (CCSTV) had hoped the Spring Festival Gala would be seen as a grassroots alternative to China Central Television's Spring Festival but has now canceled plans to broadcast live.

"The rent of the studio was too expensive and we have had to halt plans to make it live," said Shi Mengqi, who also goes by the nickname Lao Meng.