In the past, local TV stations usually launched their pre-sale auctions after CCTV's, but this year local broadcasters started pre-sales ahead of time, trying to earn a bigger share of the advertisement market.

East China's local TV station Zhejiang TV has raised 1.67 billion yuan from its auctions, with the advertisement slots for its popular program The Voice of China contributing around 60 percent.

Zheng noted that local TV stations have won audiences with quality entertainment shows, and although CCTV is also making efforts in that regard, its national broadcast nature makes it hard for CCTV to compete in more lighthearted arenas.

TV advertisement is also facing challenges from new media, according to Li from Wondersee. The TV advertisement sector grew only about 4.7 percent during the first half of this year, said Li, but online ads grew over 40 percent during the same period.

CCTV's annual ad-slot auction has been considered a barometer for the Chinese economy, with strong growth taken as a sign that companies are confident about economic growth next year.

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