Coming Soon.png
Foreign online streaming TV shows in China will have to go through more strict regulations given by China's TV watchdog.
According to the new rules imposed by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, foreign online TV shows and films should first have a permit and must be reviewed by the country's TV watchdog before they can be posted or published online. This would mean that Chinese viewers of foreign online TV shows will not be viewing them simultaneously along with overseas audiences.
The new regulations attracted the attention of both the online video industry and Chinese fans. Discussions on the new regulations landed a spot in the top 10 hot topics on the Chinese microblogging website Sina Weibo.
Famous and mainstream online video websites alike did not publish statements regarding the regulations. An anonymous insider from a famous online video site said that the new regulations raise their concerns about video copyrights and that viewers may be lost due to the regulations.
But the anonymous insider said that the new regulations will not really gravely affect their site, as only 5 percent of their shows are foreign.
Several South Korean producers are aiming to deliver full demos to be screened in advance to reduce delays.
Four well-known U.S. TV shows were banned to be shown on online sites in China; one of the four shows was "The Big Bang Theory."
A 27-year-old freelancer named Zhang Hui is a big fan of international TV shows. She is against the new regulations as she believes that they will spoil her source of entertainment.
"It will take the fun out of following the latest episode if I have to wait for a long time," said Zhang.
At the Sun Yat-sen University, a dean from the School of Communication and Design named Zhang Zhian said that the school might adopt the regulations to cut down on violent and provocative content.
Dean Zhang said that the regulation may promote positive content online.
