China’s media watchdog, tightening control of content, promotes ‘core socialist values’

A key Chinese regulator has issued a notice demanding broadcasters distribute programmes that promote “core socialist values”, and “forcefully oppose” content that celebrates money worship, hedonism, radical individualism and feudal thought.

The notice, which was issued on Friday by the State Administration of Press, Publication Radio Film and Television, provides further guidance for the creation and broadcast of programme content, particularly for the country’s rapidly growing internet platforms.

“Online programmes should vigorously promote China’s revolutionary culture” advance patriotism , extol the motherland and “praise heroes”, the notice said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has undertaken an unprecedented campaign to censor media that do not reflect the views of Communist Party leaders, while advancing traditional Chinese values that promote honesty, unity, self-improvement and self-reliance.

The government over the last year has moved to crack down on illicit content in the country’s fast-growing live-streaming market, which produced revenues of more than 30 billion yuan (US$4.4 billion or HK$34 billion) last year, according to investment bank China Renaissance Securities.

Last July, China’s Culture Ministry announced that it had shut down 4,313 online show rooms, firing or punishing more than 18,000 anchors.