5/2/2014 ‘Big Bang Theory,’ ‘The Good Wife’: Too Hot For the Chinese Web - China Real Time Report - WSJ
April 28, 2014, 10:22 AM HKT ‘Big Bang Theory,’ ‘The Good Wife’: Too Hot For the Chinese Web
‘The Big Bang Theory’ is among the U.S. television show s that have attracted a follow ing in China through distribution on video w ebsites. CBS Four U.S. shows ranging from “The Big Bang Theory” to “The Good Wife” are no longer being streamed on Chinese video websites thanks to government regulations — raising the prospect of intensified government control over what videos can be posted online. Though China’s video websites have had comparatively more freedom than movie theaters and TV stations — which have strict policies governing the airing of foreign content — that may be changing. As the WSJ’s Paul Mozur reports:
In March the government issued new rules strengthening censorship of China’s video websites, which called for companies to censor content from all videos before the videos are allowed to go up. In January it also called for posters of microfilms—high- production-value short films that have become popular—to use http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/04/28/big-bang-theory-the-good-wife-too-hot-for-the-chinese-web/tab/print/?KEYWORDS=web+censorship 1/3 5/2/2014 ‘Big Bang Theory,’ ‘The Good Wife’: Too Hot For the Chinese Web - China Real Time Report - WSJ their real identification when putting up videos.
The blocking of the shows comes in the midst of a government crackdown on online discourse. Beginning last autumn, the government has warned and punished a number of well-known social-media commentators. It also said it would crack down on the spread of what it says are rumors and personal attacks online. Critics say the moves are aimed at quashing dissent and the discussion of sensitive topics.
…
Many took to China’s social media and the comment sections below the programs to vent their anger at the blocking of shows, which many said had relatively little inappropriate or sensitive content compared with some shows that have been affected.
” ‘The Big Bang Theory’ doesn’t have explicit images. However, it portrays a kind of living style that is totally Western. A leader like Xi must sense the mismatch between the culture he is promoting and the culture that those videos are spreading,” said an employee at a popular online-video provider.
In China “The Big Bang Theory” has become one of the most popular U.S. shows posted by Sohu, which has exclusive rights to the program in China, though other Chinese and South Korean shows are still more popular. According to Sohu’s site, as of April 1, “Big Bang Theory” episodes have been viewed 1.3 billion times. By comparison the South Korean show “My Love From the Star,” another of China’s most popular foreign shows, has received more than two billion views on iQiyi, a video site owned by Baidu Inc.
On Sunday many expressed anger and disappointment at the move to block the U.S. programs, while others posted links to places where the shows could be downloaded.
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/04/28/big-bang-theory-the-good-wife-too-hot-for-the-chinese-web/tab/print/?KEYWORDS=web+censorship 2/3 5/2/2014 ‘Big Bang Theory,’ ‘The Good Wife’: Too Hot For the Chinese Web - China Real Time Report - WSJ
“Give me back Sheldon! How can you block such an innocent show? The main character doesn’t even kiss his girlfriend until the seventh season,” wrote a poster on Sina’s Weibo social-media service, referring to a “Big Bang Theory” character.
The government has been trying to formulate rules for online video for years, but has been previously hamstrung by the sheer manpower required to go through the large number of videos posted on China’s biggest sites.
Read the full story on WSJ.com
______
Also popular on China Real Time now:
Second Time Around, ‘A Bite of China’ Isn’t So Sweet
Van Gogh On Demand: Inside China’s Copycat Art Village
Copyright 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law . For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit w w w .djreprints.com
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/04/28/big-bang-theory-the-good-wife-too-hot-for-the-chinese-web/tab/print/?KEYWORDS=web+censorship 3/3