The Chinese government is cracking down on sexy TV and radio. No more push-up bra ads, no more sex toy ads, no more TV shows about cosmetic surgery or sex changes.
And especially no more “sexually provocative sounds and tantalizing language,” states the order issued by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. The order also targets “scenes showing how women are influenced into a life of crime [as[ detrimental to society," in reference to a recent a crime documentary called Red Question Mark. (AP)
Since August, the SARFT has pulled a total of 1446 ads worth about 2 billion yuan (approximately 187 million Euro) from China’s airwaves in its efforts to "purify" China’s state-controlled airwaves. It also ordered 11 radio shows off the air in southern and central China for talking too explicitly about sex or for broadcasting material of an "extreme pornographic nature." Part of the sudden state-mandated censorship comes from an upcoming meeting of the 17th Party Congress, a reunion which occurs every five years, in which key government leaders are appointed and national policy is set.
The upcoming Congress has caused much movement, including strategic political maneuvers by party members, newspapers showing front-page support of President Hu, and the largest crackdown on Web sites and data hosts in history being conducted by the Ministry of Public Security. The concurrent crackdown on TV, film and radio content perceived as "directly harm[ing] the credibility of public broadcasting and affect[ing] the image of the Communist Party and the government,” is part of the ongoing negotiation between the state and state media outlets. Now that the Chinese media no longer receive large government subsidies, they are increasingly producing Western-style programming that attracts audiences and advertising revenue. Sex may sell ads, but it makes the government look like its not doing its job. Broadcasters are being urged to forego vulgarity and bad taste in favor of providing “inspiring” content for the masses imbued with “socialist” values.
This article was published Tuesday, October 2, 2007.
