Post-quake ban on amusing TV ends
Mainland television stations have been given the official go-ahead to stop mourning and bring back entertainment shows pulled after the May 12 earthquake, according to industry sources.
With one month to go until the Beijing Olympics, the State Administration of Film, Radio and Television on Monday ordered TV stations throughout the country gradually to resume entertainment programmes.
An official of China Central Television's editing room confirmed yesterday that Sarft had lifted the ban.
'We have been told that it's time for people no longer to be sad and for us to cheer them up for the Beijing Olympics,' the official said.
An entertainment-programme presenter at Beijing TV also said he had been told to resume his shows and prepare for the Games.
'We have been informed that the entertainment programmes should be broadcast to prepare a good television environment for the big Olympic event,' he said.
Mainland television went into official mourning after the magnitude-8 earthquake devastated Sichuan province and surrounding areas.
In the aftermath, Sarft and the Ministry of Culture issued urgent notices ordering suspension of all entertainment programmes or events during three days of national mourning from May 19.
Mainland stations pulled most of their entertainment programmes and popular light-drama series, which had come to dominate TV scheduling.
