That’s enough fun—official
Jan 7th 2012 | BEIJING | from the print edition
Democracy, Chinese-style
LIKE broadcasters anywhere, Chinese television executives fret constantly over such things as an evolving media landscape, competition from online providers, and the viability of their business models. Now they have a new worry: how to make their prime-time offerings less entertaining.
According to an order that took effect on January 1st, China’s 34 satellite television stations must limit “excessive entertainment” and “vulgar” content. This means cutting back severely on their most popular, low-cost and lucrative programming. “Super Girl”, a much watched singing contest, is no more, after officials accused it of being overlong and of poisoning youth.
The order from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television limits what broadcasters may air during the prime-time hours from 7.30pm to 10pm. That period, known in China as “Gold Time,” must now include two 30-minute news briefings, and no more than 90 minutes of the lighter shows that China’s hundreds of millions of viewers have come to love. These include game shows, soap operas, dating competitions and singing contests where—uniquely for China—ordinary people get a chance to vote for favourites. Under government pressure, the number of such shows has been slashed, from over 120 to fewer than 40 a week.
Compared with offerings in many other countries, China’s television fare is already quite tame. Viewers looking for sex, nudity, gore or crude language will search in vain. Still, broadcasting is thriving. The industry, including radio, grew by a quarter in 2010, with revenues of 210 billion yuan ($33.3 billion).
The effort to dull things down fits into a broader campaign of cultural tightening in a year that will see a once-in-a-decade leadership succession. The outgoing president, Hu Jintao, recently warned against the danger of foreign forces using culture and ideology to “westernise and divide” China. The new leaders promise to be equally vigilant.
from the print edition | Asia, The Economists
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