One of the more significant provisions forbids all advertising from using a number of words, many of which appear quite innocuous. The list includes:

• “most” or “best”, which includes “most popular”, “most advanced” and “most luxurious”;
• “first” or “one”, including “No. 1” and “country’s top”;
• “national” or “capital”, including “international standards”, “national level”
• “authority”, including “recommended by Chinese leaders” and “recommended by Chinese institutions”.

Other regulations focus on online advertisement, such as those nagging pop-up ads that won’t close.

Most interesting however are new provisions governing the use of celebrity endorsements in advertising. For instance, child stars under the age of ten are now forbidden from endorsing any commercial products in order to protect their “physical and psychological health” on the basis that they lack “independent judgement”. Mega-hit reality show Daddy, Where Are We Going? had recently popularized this trend by having several of its child stars appear in advertisements.

Celebrities are also banned from endorsing health care products, a trend popularized by Hongmao Medicinal Wine who used celebrities like Chen Baoguo to serve as its spokesperson.

The final provision relating to celebrities is seemingly quite straightforward: in order to endorse a product, the celebrity must have actually used the product. Simple enough one might say, however what if your celebrity is a male actor or singer, and the product he’s endorsing is maxi pads?

Just such a situation occurred when Taiwanese star, Jiro Wang, appeared in a television commercial for Freemore Maxi Pads. In the commercial, Wang compares women to robots that aren’t “free” during their period and are seen slowing down. After drawing a white line that turns into a Freemore maxi pad, Wang is seen dancing with women who all turn into cheerful cartoon figures, just like the one seen on the Freemore package.

Here’s the Freemore commercial: you should probably enjoy it now, as its the last of its kind in China to feature a male celebrity endorsing feminine hygiene products:

The post Chinese Men Can No Longer Endorse Maxi Pads – It’s The Law appeared first on The Nanfang.

The upcoming September 3rd military parade and national holiday will put a focus on China’s War of Resistance against Japan, known in the rest of the world as World War II, but those outside the country might be surprised to learn there has been a constant drumbeat of anti-Japanese dramas airing in the country now for years. Especially lately, there is a war drama being broadcast on national television every night, and people are getting fed up with it.

The dramas are called “God shows” in China because they feature Chinese protagonists who use “Godly” powers in order to defeat invading Japanese imperialist forces, often tearing apart Japanese soldiers by hand or performing other near-supernatural abilities against their enemies. One recent show called “Let’s Fight the Japs Together” featured sprinter Liu Xiang’s ex-wife’s character pulling out a hand grenade that was concealed inside her vagina.

A recent poll by China Youth Daily shows people are increasingly tired of seeing these “God shows” because they are so outlandish.

Out of some 2,000 respondents that participated in the poll, 46 percent say they are worried that “God shows” will influence the younger generation to improperly learn about the history of the war, while 47 percent say they distort history and show a basic misunderstanding of it. Forty-six percent said the market is over-saturated with “God shows”, while 39 percent criticized the shows for becoming entertainment that panders to a vulgar audience.

Most surprising, perhaps, is that a whopping 75 percent blame the government for the glut of outrageous war films because it has sole approval over what films are broadcast. Especially in the last few weeks, some “God shows” have shown Chinese heroes battling Japanese soldiers using increasingly outlandish plots, but China’s film watchdog has still given them the greenlight.

Chinese audiences have long spoken out against the proliferation of these shows. Recently, an unnamed 99 year-old Sichuan veteran of the war spoke out against “God shows’, saying:

How was the war of resistance as easy as seen on TV? As if a few people could have easily killed a whole squadron of Japs? If it was really that way, would we have had to sacrifice so many of our brothers, and had to have arduously fight the war of resistance for eight full years?

Xu Zhenglin, professor at Shanghai U Film and TV Art Academy, said Chinese audiences ridicule “God shows” for having exaggerated plots that are contrary to history:

What’s worth noting is that these War of Resistance ‘God shows’ portray the enemy as mentally deficient, and exchange the arduous blood-soaked battles with victories that are easily won. This doesn’t just distort history, this doesn’t respect the martyrs that defended this country with their lives. These shows will no doubt have a negative impact on the public, in particular upon the values of young people and upon their perspective of history.

Zuo Heng, researcher at the National Film Art Research Center, said there should be a distinction between historically accurate War of Resistance war dramas and “God shows”:

Many War of Resistance serials portray the enemy as being extremely stupid, something that is most irresponsible.

Sun Chengjian, deputy researcher of the Film and TV Research Wing of the National Art Research Center, said there is something much greater at stake when considering the global impact these shows have on the international stage:

Think about it, our film and television products should have a degree of influence of soft power when distributed to other countries, but all of this is completely eliminated by the massive production of cheap and inferior ‘War of Resistance God shows’ in which the Japs are torn apart by hand.

Meanwhile, Chinese war propaganda is alive and well in the USA with the broadcast of a WWII veterans video in New York City’s Times Square.

The post Even Chinese Audiences Tiring of Outlandish Japanese War Dramas appeared first on The Nanfang.

The Big Bang Theory has become the first show to be approved under new regulations that heavily restrict the broadcast of Western television shows. Sohu Video has again snatched up the sole broadcasting rights to what had been their most popular show.

The Big Bang Theory had been a smash hit among Chinese viewers, racking up 1.3 billion hits on Sohu. The show was so popular that Sohu paid to bring actor Johnny Galecki to China for a national promotional tour.

That was until last September, when the State Committee on Films and Broadcast Media, (formerly known as SARFT), issued strict restrictions that required every imported show to be registered and approved for public broadcast resulting in a number of Western programs being cancelled. Following the ban however, the show continued to be newsworthy in China and remained immensely popular.

There has never been an official explanation as to why The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, NCIS, and The Practice were banned. However, SARFT has said that some of these shows failed to be approved due to content that “hurt the nation’s honor and interests, and encourage teenagers to break laws and spread violence, eroticism, gambling and terrorism”.

One criticism of the new regulation is that since shows must be submitted for review as a complete season, the process may take up to half a year to complete, thus encouraging piracy among viewers who don’t want to wait.

Although Chinese viewers were happy to see the return of The Big Bang Theory, according to netizens, the SAFRT initiative to restrict Western shows has been largely ineffective:

But we’ve already watched it.

What use is the censored version? Anyways, I’ve already watched the original version.

Praise be to great Sohu! (Although I’ve already watched it).

You’ve finally arrived! It’s so fortunate that I never gave up on you!

I’m not going to watch it! I’m not going to help support the system that puts you under restriction! It’s fine if you’re able to control things yourself!!!

Did you really think we’d wait until the show had been reviewed and verified before we watch it?

It’s too late. I’ve already switched to 2 Broke Girls.

It has always puzzled me: Why does Masters of Sex continue to be broadcast, but The Big Bang Theory gets pulled from the airwaves?

Have we been waiting for the official Chinese online version? Hee hee! SARFT, you’ve got to be kidding yourselves.

What a pity. I’ve kept up with the show’s US broadcast and have already finished watching it!

The Big Bang Theory should never have been prohibited from broadcast. I don’t know what kind of defect or problem the people who broadcast shows in China are suffering from.

After being pulled from broadcast, the show’s executive producer, Chuck Lorre, expressed his objection to the ban. After a number of sarcastic remarks, Lorre said, “The overlords of 1.3 billion people are afraid of our sitcom. Exactly what we were going for!” We don’t know if Lorre will revise his statement now that his show is back on the air, but we’re sure that newly reviewed and approved The Big Bang Theory won’t have any more dialog like this:

Sheldon:
They called it the greatest thing since the Communist party. Although I’m pretty sure the Communist party made them say that. I like China. See, they know how to keep people in line.

The post Big Bang Theory to Make Triumphant Return to China’s Airwaves appeared first on The Nanfang.

The official Sina Weibo account of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said a man, named Bian, was found dead when police arrived at a residence after receiving a tip that drugs could be found on the premises. After no one answered the door, police discovered an open window and gained access to the apartment.

Bian had been identified by the Beijing Times as a 32 year-old man from Jilin province, who had been working at a culture and mass media company. Chinese netizens speculated that the suspect was Bian Ce, who had hosted many television shows on China Central Televisions’ film channel and on Shanghai’s OTV.

Police reported that two small packets of methamphetamine and straws were found in his apartment. Tests later confirmed that Bian had trace amounts of amphetamine and methamphetamine in his blood. Police excluded the possibility of homicide, and stated that Bian died as a result of falling from his eighth floor residence.

A crackdown on drug use in Beijing has been especially hard on Chinese celebrities. Taiwanese star Kai Ko and Jaycee Chan, son of Chinese superstar Jackie Chan, were arrested in a drug raid on the latter’s Beijing residence last August. Li Daimo, Zhang Yuan, Ning Caishen, Zhang Mo, He Shengdong, and Gao Hu have also been arrested for drug crimes.

The consequences for being caught with drugs is more than potential jail time. The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARRFT) is banning all actors and hosts associated with drug and prostitution crimes from appearing in Chinese television and movies. There was no mention as to how long the ban would last.

Last year, China Daily reported that, out of the 7,800 people held on suspicion of taking drugs since the start of the year, 1 percent of those detained were celebrities.

Related:

• Jaycee Chan and Kai Ko To Lose Millions in Endorsements
• 8 Foreigners Arrested in Beijing in a Slew of Drug Raids
• Police Doing Spot Drug Tests at Beijing Bars

The post CCTV Host Commits Suicide in Police Drug Bust appeared first on The Nanfang.

After The Big Bang Theory was unceremoniously banned from public broadcast in China, one show was poised to take over as the top comedy in China. That show was 2 Broke Girls, a sitcom that continues to be popular with Chinese viewers.

As charming as Kat Dennings has proven to be with Chinese audiences, Han Lee has proven to be a local favorite even after the character’s ethnicity was revealed not as Chinese, but Korean.

Well, Chinese audiences have a reason to cheer again. Matthew Moy, the actor that portays Han Lee, came to China to promote the show by doing an interview with The Kelly Show for Sohu TV, which streams 2 Broke Girls online in China. It was during the interview that Moy dropped a bombshell upon his Chinese guests. Moy said:

This is my first time coming to China, but I am absolutely Chinese. Even though I absolutely love Korean barbecue, I’m not Korean even though everyone thinks I am.

Xinhua reported that this was the first time Moy ever admitted that he is of Chinese ethnicity, even though it’s written on his Wikipedia page and Moy has admitted it as far back as a 2013 interview. Xinhua also reported his Chinese fans now feel much closer to him after the announcement, probably in part to having his words “I am Chinese” translated into “我是中国人”, which literally means “I am a Chinese citizen”. Actually, Moy is a US citizen by birth, and he belongs to the Hakka minority. He can’t speak Mandarin, but is fluent in Cantonese.

Many foreign guests come to China and cater to Chinese sensibilities, but not many can lay claim to Moy’s bombshell. Moy continued to show off his “Chinese-ness” by eating several local delicacies that he promptly devoured on-camera during the interview.

The easiest way to be accepted in China is to be regarded as part of the family, and Matthew Moy had done just that to 1.3 billion of his countrymen. But how would this turn into a loyal viewership for 2 Broke Girls?

Here’s what Chinese netizens had to say about Matthew Moy “coming out” as a Chinese:

他们说我是飞翔的小象：
[Of Matthew Moy saying he is Chinese] That isn’t what koreans think.

磨拖啰邋：
Eating chicken feet has crudely but effectively shown he is an ethnic Chinese.

_不条理_：
Why does eating fried liver, chicken feet, and duck tongue prove that he is of Chinese ethnicity…?

kira不是扭出来的：
Only a Chinese person would dare to something like eat duck tongue.

空空杉：
An ethnic Chinese that studied Japanese, performs as a Korean, and has a baby face.

法语非本命少年需努力：
Who let him call himself Mr Han?

厕所所长哦：
He’s just portraying a Korean, that’s all.

来自2楼B座的小青年：
However, the world belongs to those Korean bangzi (perjorative). What good is this?

FireworCs：
The main thing is to be afraid of MERS.

Moooonstin：
An ethnic Chinese and a group of American (on the show) have sullied the reputation of Koreans for a number of years now.

99francs：
The cast and crew have clearly known (Moy) is Chinese. They have intentionally ruined the reputation of those bangzi…

BatLion：
So he’s actually Chinese? He must have studied a long time in order to perform his character’s Korean-style English. 

一针酱：
In the beginning, in order to better understand the role of a Korean, (Moy) specifically went to study with Koreans learning English. He’s very devoted to his work. Therefore, he’s that much more authentic in portraying a Korean.

我可是要幹大事的人：
I’ve known about this before. I found it on Baidu.

Gy_DFB：
Lies! The entire universe belongs to South Korea.

KKKeria：
All the information on the internet is wrong. Remember back in season one when Oleg called Han his “little Chinese angel”? In season one, Max ridiculed him as ‘Bryce Lee’. Then, after that, he suddenly became Korean. Mama mia!

是個殺手-Qing：
I really want to hear him speak Chinese.

crysralhhh：
He still portrayed a Japanese on The Middle (US TV series).

好了好了我晓得啦：
(Moy) acts very well.

dadadada是4pm：原来他是华裔 So he’s an ethnic Chinese, eh? I’ve been tricked for a long time. Now that this is known, I’m able to courageously increase my admiration and affection for him!

The post 2 Broke Girls Star Wins Hearts After “Coming Out” as Chinese appeared first on The Nanfang.

“Our focus and our expertise is really in commercial free,” said Hastings. “That may confine us to being only part of the market the first couple years, but that’s what we would do.”

Chief content officer Ted Sarandos was quoted last month as saying Netflix is willing to enter the Chinese market without a local partner, potentially making it even harder for the company to be approved for licenses. However, Sarandos said Wednesday that his quote was taken “a little bit out of context”.

“We’re anxious and open to all forms of doing business in China,” he said.

Some international companies that have come to China have found success by deviating from their traditional business model. KFC has changed their menu to cater to the local clientele, offering Chinese-inspired menu items, while Lay’s Potato Chips sold in China include such flavors as “Green Tea” and “Hot Pot”.

The post Netflix Vows China Service Will Remain Commercial Free appeared first on The Nanfang.

Details are few, but the new show will feature Chinese comedians and “live music and sketch comedy.” The big question, though, is whether SNL China will venture onto political turf, which it frequently does in the US version. Bloomberg Businessweek, which originally reported the story, says the government is well aware that old communist tropes don’t work on the younger generation:

“China’s Communist Party has been looking for new ways to engage with an audience because past forms of preaching are no longer suitable for today,” said Wang Sixin, a Beijing-based professor at the Communication University of China. “What Sohu needs to be careful about, though, is finding the right balance when doing satire about social and political issues.”

Variety shows are a favorite of Chinese audiences, with huge numbers turning out each year to watch the annual Spring Festival Gala, the biggest show of the year with four continuous hours of of humorous skits, musical numbers and star power, a formula that SNL is very familiar with.

No word on when this show will begin airing, but Michaels’ company, Broadway Video Entertainment, says it will begin hiring comedians from across China.

The post Lorne Michaels is Bringing Saturday Night Live to China appeared first on The Nanfang.

Here’s a viral piece that uses generalizations to explain the differences between TV shows from these four countries. It’s a little heavy handed, but that’s pretty much the joke here:

12 Sentences that Tell You the Difference Between US, Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese Domestic Television Shows

Recently, some netizens have compiled a list explaining the difference between US, Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese domestic television shows. The answer is correct, and if you don’t believe it, see for yourself.

US Shows:

Criminal investigation shows: these shows talk about breaking cases and show how dedicated police are to their work, how brutal criminals act, and how the use of torture is used to crack a case.

Legal shows: these show how dedicated lawyers are to their jobs, and how they will fight for the best interests of their clients.

Medical shows: these shows talk about treating patients and how medical staff work, and how they’ll do everything they can in order to take care of their patients.

Japanese Shows:

Criminal investigation shows: use cases to show the dark side of society, and the ugly side of human nature.

Legal shows: use cases to show the dark side of society, and the ugly side of human nature.

Medical shows: use disputes between doctors and patients, internal hospital strife and other things to show the dark side of society, and the ugly side of human nature.

South Korean Shows:

Criminal investigation shows: The wife of the cop contracts leukemia. It gets so bad he can’t take it anymore, runs out into the street and is hit by a car and gets amnesia, until finally in the end they are told that they can’t be together.

Legal shows: The wife of the lawyer contracts leukemia. It gets so bad that he can’t take it anymore, runs out into the street and is hit by a car and gets amnesia, until finally in the end they are told that they can’t be together.

Medical shows: The wife of the doctor contracts leukemia. It gets so bad that he can’t take it anymore, runs out into the street and is hit by a car and gets amnesia, until finally in the end they are told that they can’t be together.

Chinese Shows:

Criminal investigation shows: Love story about police officers.

Legal shows: Love story about lawyers.

Medical shows: Love story about doctors.

Having gotten some buzz online, netizens had a lot to say about this list. “South Korean shows haven’t been like this for a while, and there is a great variety to Japanese shows,” one person said, while another said: “Bullshit. Chinese shows are devoted to fighting Japanese, fighting Japanese, and fighting Japanese, okay?”

“Aren’t English shows like this: in a criminal investigation show, a pair of male cops go on a case, and then a gay marriage law gets passed. In a lawyer show, a pair of male lawyers perform a defense based on complementary tactics, and then a gay marriage law gets passed. In a medical show, a male doctor spares no effort and does everything in his power to save a male patient, and then a gay marriage law gets passed…”

Another said: “No matter what, I still enjoy US shows. US shows teach women to be brave and independent! South Korean shows only teach you to daydream, while Chinese shows just teach you the background to Zhen Huan (a character in an old novel made into a TV show). It’s tiring, and I don’t like them anymore.”

The post Chinese Meme Makes Sense of Cultures Through Their TV Shows appeared first on The Nanfang.

Andy Lau tops a list of celebrities scheduled to appear, the first time in ten years that China’s most bankable star is showing up.

Teen pop idols will also be providing some flair to the night with a line-up that includes Luhan from Korea, KRIS from Canada, William Chan, Zheng Ziqi from Get Everybody Movin’ (G.E.M.), and Chris Lee.

But that’s not all. Celebrities that appear to an older generation like singer and actress Na Ying, most recently seen as a judge on popular singing competition The Voice of China, will appear alongside diehard red song balladeer Han Lei and Zhang Kaili, recently seen on popular TV show Let’s Get Married.

This year’s spring festival gala will also include the broadcast of special patriotic cartoons aimed at fostering social values in children.

The gala’s most familiar face, Zhao Benshan, will not be on the show. After becoming a mainstay on the program for several years, Zhao will not do the gala following corruption rumors. He denies them though.

Photos: People’s Daily Online

The post Andy Lau to Headline this Year’s Star-studded Spring Festival Gala appeared first on The Nanfang.

The full set of rules foreign shows must follow have finally been published, which will make it even more difficult for western TV shows to find an audience in China. The newest regulations from the State Committee on Films and Broadcast Media (formerly known as SARFT) put strict limitations on the times when foreign shows can be broadcast.

This new rule follows restrictions announced earlier, including the stipulation that an entire season of a television program must be submitted for approval at the same time, ensuring a delay between when shows are broadcast abroad and they hit TV screens in China. Another rule is that foreign content can’t exceed 30 percent of a website or channel’s total broadcast content, with domestic content making up the rest.

All websites wishing to broadcast foreign television shows in 2015 must register online before February 10 this year.

Related:

• China Cracking Down on Broadcast of Western TV Shows with Strict New Rules
• No More One Night Stands or Sexual Innuendo on Chinese TV
• Smoking Ban Means Chinese TV and Movie Stars Must Butt Out
• It’s Getting a Lot Harder to Stream Western TV Shows in China

Photo: youth.cn

The post Want that American Show to be Broadcast in China? It Just Got Tougher appeared first on The Nanfang.