TV personalities have been asked to abandon "queer" dressing and
"colorful" hairstyles, and to mind their language.
The new rules, issued last week by the State Administration of
Radio, Film and TV, also say that in principle no more
crime-related movies or television shows will be imported.
"The rules are intended to reduce the negative impact of queer
dressing and behavior on youngsters," said Xu Caihua, an official
at the Shanghai Administration of Culture, Radio, Film and
Television. "The administration published similar regulations
before, but they were not followed closely. Now the administration
is exercising great efforts to get the new rules implemented."
TV personalities have been told that they should not wear
excessively fashionable clothes or those that are too revealing.
Hair should not be dyed too colorfully or worn in unusual
styles.
The "purposeful imitation" of Hong Kong or Taiwan accents, and
the mixing of English words and phrases with the Chinese language -
common in entertainment programs - are also banned. Use of
Putonghua, or standard spoken Chinese, is now compulsory for TV
hosts.
Show hosts have also been directed not to cater imprudently to
the tastes of small minorities of the young.
Audience responses are mixed.
"It is time to regulate those posturing hosts and hostesses who
deliberately imitate their Hong Kong and Taiwan counterparts.
That's very irritating," said Chen Wen, a mother who lives in
Shanghai. She believes weird clothing and speech hinder the healthy
development of impressionable youngsters.
Ma Yuhua, 21, a student at Shanghai Normal University,
disagreed. "Unlike serious news programs, it is natural for
entertainment programs to be carried out in a relaxed atmosphere.
Brilliant clothing and flexibility in speech certainly can make the
program more dynamic and carefree."
Yang Mingzhi, editor of a local entertainment program, said: "So
long as the hostesses' clothing doesn't lower the program's
tastefulness, I don't see any problem with having a more
fashionably dressed hostess to attract more viewers."
A more discreet TV-host dress and speech code is only part of
the campaign. Television and cinemas as a whole are to be made less
sexy and violent.
The new regulation bans imports of programs or films whose
themes are deemed unfit for China's social system and national
conditions. Imports will be subjected to more severe censorship and
scrutiny, with plots, pictures or words considered harmful to
morals or society deleted.
Programs that propagate Western ideology and politics should not
be imported, and genres as well as country of origin must be
diversified.
Domestically made programs or movies are to dominate television
prime time, from 7:00 to 10:00 PM.
Last month, the administration banned the broadcasting of
crime-theme sitcoms between the hours of 5:00 and 10:00 PM, and
later prohibited the production and broadcast of
computer-game-related TV programs.
(eastday.com, China.org.cn May 17, 2004)