CHINA: China crackdowns on "reactionary" TV

China has ordered a crackdown on the illegal installation of satellite equipment to prevent its citizens watching "reactionary, violent and pornographic" foreign television programs

The Age
Monday, July 19, 2004 

China has ordered a crackdown on the illegal installation of satellite equipment to prevent its citizens watching "reactionary, violent and pornographic" foreign television programs, state media said.

The State Administration of Radio, Film Television, together with other government departments including the ministry of information industry and the ministry of commerce, made the order at a recent meeting, the Beijing News reported.

According to the officials, the regulation of foreign satellite television channels "concerns the political and cultural security of the state".

"Some foreign satellite TV programs have reactionary, violent and pornographic content that harms the spiritual construction of socialism and affects negatively the social security and people's thought," the decision said.

None of the programs were named.

The newspaper said the country would introduce improved standards for the production, sale and installation of satellite television receivers while stiffening censorship of programs.

"Government departments at various levels should participate in the process," the ruling said.

China has only approved a handful of overseas TV channels, including Bloomberg, Phoenix TV's InfoNews channel, CNN, HBO and BBC World, to broadcast, and then mostly to diplomatic missions and top hotels.

The crackdown reflects the growing concerns of the Chinese leadership about people's access to potentially subversive material.

Internet use is closely monitored while limited foreign newspapers and magazines are only available at select locations, mostly five-star hotels.

Date Posted: 7/19/2004