China's broadcasting watchdog handed down their order for the removal of Hollywood TV shows such as "Agent Carter" and "Empire" from online streaming sites as part of their new guidelines for the airing of foreign content.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter on Jan. 21, Wednesday, China's State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) ordered for the films' airing to be halted because of sensitive content.
The agency based their decision on their new rules which indicate that every foreign film provider should comply with the required initial screening; that is, providing to the censorship board the full first season complete with Chinese subtitles for clearance.
The new ruling, says The Hollywood Reporter, might have a massive effect in the presently growing online streaming market because it entails having the Chinese watchdog the sole decision to decide what should be and should not be aired in the country.
It also means extra cost for entertainment outfits hoping to air their shows in the country as it requires the airing of the show an entire season in advance.
Aside from "Empire" and "Agent Carter," another show that would be affected by the censorship is "Shameless," which has to undergo "re-censorship" because of its sensitive content.
Meanwhile, "Stalker," "Two Broke Girls" and the "American Horror Story" are still streamed online although they face possible censorship issues.
The new regulation, however, will not affect shows from Netflix ("House of Cards" and "Marco Polo") as they have began a new trend of airing full seasons of their shows before placing them on a weekly schedule.