Research Guru / Moderator
Posted:
Feb 21, 2008, 9:37 PM
|
|
Tooned out: China bans 5-9 p.m. foreign cartoons
|
|
|
China will halt broadcasts of foreign cartoons by another hour in prime time, a circular by the country's TV watchdog announced Wednesday.
The circular, issued by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, states that no foreign cartoons or programs introducing foreign cartoons can be shown from 5 to 9 p.m., the "golden hours," on domestic cartoon or children's channels, beginning May 1.
Cartoons co-produced by domestic and foreign producers will require approval from the SARFT to air during those hours. Sino-foreign co-productions will be subject to censorship by the government body. Cartoons produced entirely in China will need to pass censors of local radio, film and TV departments if they are to be approved for broadcast.
The SARFT's original ban, imposed in August 2006, barred foreign cartoons from the airwaves between 5 and 8 p.m. That regulation caused a sharp decrease of foreign cartoons on Chinese channels.
The latest ban will "enhance the SARFT's management over cartoon programs and will create a favorable environment for the domestic cartoon industry," the circular said. It added that only domestic cartoons approved by the administration can be aired during the "golden hours."
The SARFT also changed the required ratio of Chinese to non-Chinese produced shows that TV channels can air from 6:4 to 7:3.
According to the SARFT, China's cartoon industry produced over 101,900 minutes of animation last year, up 23% over 2006, when the output was 81,000 minutes.
China has been inundated with foreign cartoon series since the such show, Japan's Astro Boy series, was introduced in 1981.
By 2000, Japanese cartoons held a near monopoly on Chinese cartoon programs. That year, a SARFT regulation set quotas for imported cartoons to air on TV. It also required local TV stations to gain approval from the administration to air foreign cartoons.
A further regulation in 2004 asked that at least 60% of cartoon programs aired in a quarter be domestic releases.
-------------------------
"Oh boy." -- Allan Sherman
|
|
Intern
Posted:
Feb 23, 2008, 6:40 PM
|
|
Re: Tooned out: China bans 5-9 p.m. foreign cartoo
[In reply to]
|
|
|
Darn, there go my plans to market a new cartoon series called Adventures of a Capitalist Running Dog to prime time PRC TV. 
|
|
|
|
