China plans to limit reality TV shows and other lowbrow fare shown on satellite TV stations as part of a drive to wrest back Communist Party control over cultural industries that are fueling more independent viewpoints.
The order from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television refers to shows that are vulgar or “overly entertaining.” It singles out programs dealing with marital troubles and matchmaking, talent shows, game shows, variety shows, talk shows and reality programming.
Such shows must be largely phased out by the beginning of next year by the country’s 34 satellite TV stations, to be replaced with news and cultural programming. The order also bans viewership surveys and the use of ratings as the sole criteria for whether to broadcast a particular show.
Published in state media yesterday, the order follows a Chinese Communist Party meeting last week that asserted the need for strengthening social morality and boosting China’s cultural influence abroad — an acknowledgment by the party that it is losing its power to dictate public opinion. Social media, especially hugely popular microblogs that encourage individuals to generate content, are also being targeted by government censors.
The crackdown coincides with a bout of national hand-wringing over a lack of public ethics, highlighted by the death last week of a toddler who was struck by a vehicle and left for dead by passers-by. Officials believe the promotion of “core socialist values” will bolster social cohesion in the face of rising materialism.
“Satellite channels are mainly for the broadcast of news propaganda and should expand the proportion of news, economic, cultural, science and education, children’s, and documentary programming,” the order said.
Satellite channels as a whole can show no more than nine of the restricted programs each night between the prime time hours of 7:30pm and 10pm, with individual channels limited to two programs each not exceeding 90 minutes in total.
They must also show at least two hours of news programs between 6am and 11:30pm, with at least two news programs running no less than 30 minutes each to be shown during prime time.
TAIWANESE STARS
In Taiwan, local media reports said China’s plan could mean less opportunities for Taiwanese entertainers.
Shen Yu-lin (沈玉琳), a popular producer-turned-entertainer, was quoted by the Chinese-language China Times as saying that China’s plan “would have a great impact on Taiwanese entertainers.”
“Many production units in China have already reduced air time for Taiwanese entertainers to avoid trouble,” he said, adding many Taiwanese entertainers had become accustomed to China’s bigger market and higher wages.
Shen said although China has opened its markets to Taiwanese entertainers, Taiwan still has many restrictions in place on Chinese entertainers.
However, a Central News Agency report quoted Yang Yi (楊毅), spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, as saying that the media reports were just “grasping at shadows.”
There is no change in China’s policies toward Taiwanese entertainers, Yang said.
With translation by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
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