Producers aim to change negative perceptions

The Impressive Scenery of Shanxi has made headlines because of the participation of government officials. It has been dubbed "reality TV for officials", but the show's producers say the description is misleading.

"Our aim in making the program is twofold: first, we want to make more people aware of Shanxi's tourism potential so they will visit the province. The second reason is to help drive Shanxi's economic transformation by cleaning up its image," said Tao Yixiao, station director of Shanxi TV.

Although Shanxi is known for its abundant coal resources, a number of recent corruption scandals involving local officials have overshadowed its former claim to fame and promoted a negative impression of grassroots officials, according to Tao.