By Qi Yue (啟越)
Economic Observer Online
Oct 26, 2011
Translated by Zhu Na
Original Article:[Chinese]

China's television watchdog, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), announced new regulations yesterday that will require all 34 of China's provincial satellite TV channels to limit the numbers of entertainment programs they put to air. The new rules are set to come into effect on Jan 1 2012.

According to the new regulations, every day between 6am and midnight, each satellite TV channel is required to broadcast no less than two hours of news-style programming.

SARFT says the new regulations are aimed at heading off the trend towards the broadcasting of too much entertainment and low-brow programs.

Among other restrictions, the new rules also state that each satellite channel cannot broadcasr more than two slots of certain types of entertainment programs (talk shows, dating programs, talent contests, game shows and reality TV shows) a week. The amount of time devoted to screening such programmes during the prime 7.30 to 10pm evening slot, shall not exceed 90 minutes.

The new regulations also instruct TV stations not to rank shows according to the size of the audience it attracts, urging broadcasters not to simply rely on ratings when deciding on which shows to retain, making programming decisions and on the quality of a program.

Links and Sources
SARFT: Q&A with journalists regarding new rules (Chinese)
廣電總局就加強電視上星綜合頻道節目管理答問
SARFT: 廣電總局將加強電視上星綜合頻道節目管理 (Chinese)