CCTV’s annual Lunar New Year’s Eve gala — famous as a glitzy, predictable extravaganza — will be a leaner, smaller-budget jubilee this year because of strict official rules against ostentation and waste. But it just might be more imaginative. Xu Wei tunes in.

For more than 30 years, tuning in to four hours of glittering song, dance and comedy on the national broadcaster CCTV has become a family tradition on Lunar New Year’s Eve.

And it’s the most-watched TV show in the world. Last year around 750 million mainland viewers tuned in, plus many online and overseas, according to Ha Wen, director of the 2013 gala.

Over the years the extravagant Spring Festival Gala in Beijing has been criticized for being too flashy, too star-studded, too much the same, and for overlooking traditional entertainment and dialect shows from other regions.

This year, the show starting at 8pm on Thursday will go on and big ratings are expected, but it will be very different. The budget is much lower due to the government’s anti-pomp, cost-cutting campaign.

Successful film director and writer Feng Xiaogang is the general director. He expects to inject new energy and diversity and do more with less. He directed the comedy hit “If You Are the One” (2008), as well as period pieces like “The Banquet” (2008). He is the first gala director who is not a CCTV employee.

One of his first much-publicized ideas fell through, however, when Cui Jian, China’s famous Godfather of Rock, pulled out.

The stripped-down show is necessitated by government regulations banning lavish spending and pomp, as well as excessive New Year’s celebrations.

The big galas of the culture, civil affairs and public security ministries have been canceled, leaving the TV stage to CCTV.

Fewer celebrities will be hired. There will be fewer special effects and LED screens. The stage will be simpler, hung with red lanterns.

Feng says he wants to stage a heartwarming, exciting and funny show. He has quoted TV anchor and commentator Bai Yansong as saying, “It’s not news when the CCTV Spring Festival Gala gets a bad scolding from the audiences. It is news when it is praised by many.”

He plans a mini singing contest among the best of the best, winners of singing contests nationwide who will battle it out. Video will feature answers to the question, “What is the Spring Festival Gala?”

Zhao Benshan, one of China’s most popular comedians and producers, is in charge of comedy programming. Almost every year since 1990, he has performed a skit on the CCTV gala. He’s called the “Chaplin of the East” and “King of Skits.”

To save money, Feng is featuring many new performers and grassroots acts. His celebrity friends help out, including noted writer Wang Shuo and actor Zhang Guoli. Wang has written witty skits and Zhang will be a host.

Skits and crosstalk comedy will tackle social issues such as good samaritans who face blackmail after helping people; today many bystanders dare not offer help.

French actress Sophie Marceau and mainland singer Liu Huan will perform “Lie Vie en Rose” to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations in 2014.

Hong Kong singer Cheung Ming-men, who performed “My Chinese Heart” in the 1984 gala, will present a new song, “My Chinese Dream.” South Korean heartthrob Lee Min-ho, star of the TV series “The Heir,” will sing the Chinese pop song “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

The gala will feature the latest illusions of Taiwan magician YIF, as well as acrobatics and creative shadow dance.

Professor Gu Xiaoming, a sociologist from Fudan University, says new regulations against pomp and a smaller budget will pose new challenges.

“Gala directors have to find a new way to win the hearts of the audiences, who will definitely be more critical about the show’s quality this year since they have almost no TV alternative on New Year’s Eve,” he says.

He suggests Feng apply the principles of minimalism.

TV viewer Elena Chen, a human resources professional, says what’s important in the gala is creativity, not flashy superficial element in decoration.

“What the audience really wants is a warm atmosphere, relaxation and fun,” she says. “If the show can make people laugh and inspire them with heartwarming scenes and grassroots performers, it can be successful.”

Heeding the call to cut pomp, satellite TV stations have reduced budgets for their own Spring Festival galas. Fewer celebrities and more grassroots performers will be featured.

Dragon TV’s gala to be aired at 7:30pm on New Year’s Day on January 31 will use fewer LED screens and only one stage, instead of three. The theme will be “Going Back Home,” says Hou Jie, director of Dragon TV.

Electricity consumption will be cut by 25 percent compared with last year, she says.

The gala will cooperate with producers of the upcoming film “Beijing Love Story,” based on the popular TV series of the same name.

Beijing Satellite TV will use children’s paintings about spring as decoration and backdrop for its gala on January 31.

It will feature stars of last year’s singing contests “The Voice of China 2” and “Chinese Idol.”

Jasmine Xu, a PR expert, says she hopes content will not be sacrificed for costs. “I’m concerned about the quality of shows after the drive to cut costs,” she says. If viewers don’t tune in, cost cutting will be meaningless, she says.

More New Year shows

Online grassroots gala
On New Year’s Eve, January 30, a fun grassroots show of 60 acts featuring ordinary folks singing, dancing and stunts will air at mjcw.cn, Youku.com and Tudou.com. Martial arts, folk arts, calligraphy and traditional opera are on tap. Crazy English founder Li Yang will be a bilingual host. Chief producer is billionaire philanthropist Chen Guangbiao. It debuted in 2009 as an alternative to CCTV and has attracted around 1 billion viewers worldwide.

Online fest
On New Year’s Eve, an interactive gala streams live on wlchunwan.cntv.cn, mobile and IPTV platforms of China Network Television from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. It targets young people with the latest buzzwords, original songs and short videos of 2013. Internet celebrities and grassroots singers of “The Voice of China” will perform.

Haha TV
From Monday to Friday at 7pm in the new year, Haha TV will present a new reality show about children’s early education, featuring young parents, psychologists and researchers.

East Radio
A gala on www.kankanews.com will feature singing, dancing and comedy. It will honor the city’s 10 most popular TV hosts based on audience selection.