Entertainment vs. values

The Chinese Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued an order in October last year to slash the number of entertainment shows on 34 Chinese satellite television channels, including dating and talent shows, talk shows and dramas, which are considered to be "low taste" or "vulgar." Such programs are to be cut by two-thirds starting in January and replaced by more "meaningful" ones such as news and educational programming.

As reported by Chinese news agency Xinhua, a spokesperson for the country's media regulation agency gave further details at a press conference at the beginning of January: The 34 broadcasters will have to limit the number of entertainment shows offered to two every week. Such programming will not be allowed to exceed 90 minutes per day. Two compulsory 30-minute news shows must be aired between 6 pm and 11:30 pm in addition to showing a minimum of two hours of news programming between 6am and midnight.

Cultural 'infiltration'

In addition to wanting to improve and increase cultural offers to the public, the country's broadcast regulator, also hopes the new programming will help promote traditional virtues and socialist core value, according to an official statement.

In the latest issue of a Communist Party magazine, President Hu Jintao argued that China must promote its own culture over Western culture. He warned that these entertainment programs would "westernize" Chinese people. "We must be well aware that international hostile forces are strengthening their strategic plots to westernize and split our country. They are using fields of thought and culture for long-term infiltration," he wrote.

An official at the Beijing TV and Media Center told Deutsche Welle on condition of anonymity: "I agree with the move of cutting back entertainment programs. It's the right thing to do when they don't seem to stop overflowing."

'Vulgarity'

The official, however, does not agree with the idea that TV and movies are able to "Westernize" audiences. But he agrees that they lack in educational values and that tend to be too vulgar at times. "In some programs, they make fun of the participants or artists to make the audience laugh. Beside, the language they use is coarse."

Hong Kong TV actor, Match Lau, sees the temptation of producing entertainment shows in their low cost and large market value. While he agrees that reducing them in number can "shield" the country from western influence, he does not believe it will be easy to keep people from getting to them. "If audiences want to watch entertainment programs, there's no way you can stop them. They can buy DVDs or find them easily on the Internet," he says.

In some instances, more viewers turn to the net that to the TV set. Some popular US television shows that have never been aired on TV in China have scores of fans there, as they can be watched online or bought easily and inexpensively as pirated DVDs.

It would be a disappointment, though, if entertaining shows were to be completely abolished, says Lau. "Life is stressful. We have to find something to entertain ourselves. TV is good for that."

Author: Miriam Wong
Editor: Sarah Berning