China bans populist TV skeins

TAIPEI -- China has banned light entertainment skeins -- such as talent shows, gameshows, chatshows and reality skeins -- from satellite TV channels.Media watchdog the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has outlawed shows that it deems "vulgar" or "overly entertaining" from the start of next year on China's 34 satellite TV stations. They must be replaced with news and cultural programming, it has ruled. The move reserves particular ire for programs dealing with marital troubles and matchmaking.The order also bans viewership surveys, and the use of ratings as the sole criteria for whether to broadcast a particular show.The reaction from the local broadcasters has been slightly shell-shocked.Hunan TV said it would adjust its programming to focus on "morality, housekeeping and public welfare."The crackdown comes after a meeting this month of the Communist Party's Central Committee set the broad agenda for policy-makers and focused heavily on culture.The government also said in a communique arising out of the recent party leadership conclave, published in the official People's Daily, that it would intensify controls of online social media and instant messaging tools, the clearest acknowledgment yet from the party leadership that services like Weibo, which are similar to the banned Twitter, are having a major impact on society.The government has been increasingly nervous about the thriving microblogs, and the ease with which they sidestep censorship and government controls.There were 195 million microblog users registered at the end of June.The crackdown comes amid national soul-searching about China's lack of a soul after the death last week of a toddler who was struck by a vehicle and left for dead by passers by. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com