TV censorship in China: the unspoken rules
Staff Reporter
2014-03-25
The cast of the Taiwanese TV drama Meteor Garden at a press conference on June 14, 2001. (Photo/Lu Yi-chi)
The Peninsula Morning Post, a newspaper published in Dalian in northeastern China, has offered some insights into the censorship rules governing television production in the country.
The paper quoted actor and director Zhang Guoli as saying at the recent meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference that "if anyone made House of Cards in China, it would certainly have failed the censorship test" due to its political sensitivity. The American drama about political skulduggery starring Kevin Spacey has been a hit in China, where it is broadcast — uncut — on video-streaming websites.
The report highlighted four areas which are considered sensitive for TV productions:
First, the main character cannot be too much of a playboy and if a mistress is involved, she is not allowed to have a happy life. The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, the nation's press and broadcast regulator, says TV series may not contain content considered harmful to social morals and to Chinese cultural tradition. Any bad or immoral behavior must therefore be depicted in a negative light.
Second, there can be no character who has had a child before marriage, as behavior that violates family planning laws and administrative regulations and rules are not allowed.
Third, characters with superpowers are only allowed in shows for children as TV dramas are not allowed to promote "cults or superstition." This may seem strange but relates to traditional beliefs that certain Chinese religious practices bestow supernatural powers on their practitioners — witness the way the Chinese government views the Falun Gong religious movement as a threat to its authority. So keep superpowers for the kiddies.
Fourth, there can be no scenes or plotlines portraying dating or violence at schools as this would constitute content that could be harmful to the physical and mental health of minors. Parents in China typically believe that dating is a distraction from studies, so stories of attraction between students of elementary or middle school age are out. Stories about bullying are also forbidden as this is seen as being against the legitimate rights and interests of minors.
Task force teams made up of retired senior executives from mainstream media outlets, university teachers and the staff at broadcasting companies themselves are responsible for overseeing compliance with the regulations and are paid around 50 to 100 yuan (US$8-US$16) for every episode they screen, according to the report.
