Chinese government cuts entertainment TV. Talent shows and reality TV have been axed by the campaign with the purpose of preventing Western culture influence.

Beijing / NationalTurk – China bans TV drama advertising, curbs ‘vulgar’ reality TV and axes popular TV talent shows in a government campaign to cut entertainment TV by two-thirds.

An order by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television of China (SARFT) to curb ”excessive entertainment” came into effect on 1 January. According to Chinese watchdogs the number of entertainment shows such as Reality Tv and Talent Shows aired during prime time each week has dropped to 38 from 126.

China Censorship: Fear of Western Culture shut TV shows down

The campaign took effect as the president warned of the influence of Western culture on Chinese people. In the article published in a Communist Party magazine, Chinese President Hu Jintao also urged efforts to boost the China’s own soft power. Talent shows and reality TV are among the biggest casualties of the cuts. The list of restricted programmes also included talk shows and emotional stories that were deemed to be of “low taste”.

The order, which was issued in October 2011, limits each of the country’s 34 satellite channels to two entertainment programmes each week and a maximum of 90 minutes of entertainment content every day from 19:30 to 22:00.

China Talent and Reality Shows Banned

Talent show Super Girl struck a wrong note with censors who ordered it off the air last year. In September last year, censors told Hunan Satellite Television to take the popular talent show Super Girl off the air. They said the show, which featured women of all ages in a singing contest, was ”too long”.

Chinese broadcasters are also required to air at least two hours of news airing between 06:00 and midnight. They must each broadcast at least two 30-minute news programmes between 18:00 and 23:30.

China has the largest number of television viewers in the world – an estimated 95% of its 1.3 billionChinese people watch TV hardcore.

China censor TV: Reality and talent shows are crap, watch tradiotional virtue shows

SARFT stated recently “Satellite channels have started to broadcast programmes that promote traditional virtues and socialist core values.” However the SARFT also announced that popular dating shows, such as If You Are The One, and soap operas, such as Li Yuan Chun, produced by Henan Satellite TV, will still be on air during prime time on weekends.

If You Are the One, produced by Jiangsu Satellite TV, is the most popular dating show. It broke viewership records in 2010, prompting copycat programmes by other broadcasters.

The high ratings of such programmes and their relatively low production costs meant bigger profits for the satellite TV stations. But Chinese regulators on orders from Chinese President, however, saw red over the sensationalist and ”vulgar” content, despite most Chinese like it.