It's not that the Spring Festival Gala has become worse, but that art has disappeared. The former Zhao Benshan and Feng Gong, due to their words, quietly faded from the stage of the Spring Festival Gala. Since then, the Spring Festival Gala has become duller year by year, just like the current economy.

Looking back at 40 years of the Spring Festival Gala is actually about understanding 40 years of China's economy.
In the 1980s: Kangbasi exchanged 3,000 clocks for 10 seconds of advertising, becoming an overnight sensation. That was an era of material scarcity, where having goods meant power.
In the 1990s: Qin Chi Wine spent 320 million to become the 'top brand', with revenue increasing fivefold. That was an era of advertising frenzy, where the fragrance of wine also fears a deep alley.
In the 2000s: Midea dominated the screen at zero point, reaping the benefits of urbanization. That was the golden era of real estate, where home appliances became standard.
In the 2010s: WeChat red envelopes exchanged 500 million for 200 million users, as internet giants splurged to grab traffic. That was the era of mobile internet, where those who gained users gained the world.
And today, the wind has changed.
In the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, there was a dramatic change:
Baijiu exited: from a peak of 9 companies reduced sharply, traditional giants started to contract.
AI and robots took the stage: hard tech companies like Yushu, Galaxy General, and others were willing to sponsor hundreds of millions.
Previously it was 'hard advertising', now it is a 'combination of hard and soft'. These AI giants spent 4.8 billion, not just to sell products, but also to cultivate a new habit of 'asking AI'.
The Spring Festival Gala is no longer just about song and dance; it is a 'barometer' of China's economy. From clocks to humanoid robots, whoever can stand at the C position of the Spring Festival Gala will hold the wealth code of the next decade. The flow of wealth has always only followed the darlings of the times.