China’s State Administration of Radio Film and Television, the government agency charged with controlling and regulating China’s television and film industries, released a notice in February 2012 saying that overseas produced television drama series could not be broadcast during prime time (7pm to 10pm). The notice also said that foreign television dramas could not account for more than 25 percent of dramas broadcast during any given day. In the following cartoon, posted by artist Shang Haichun (商海春) to his blog at QQ.com, an angry television set labelled “prime time” (黄金时段) boots out a blond haired Westerner. The label tossed to the ground beside the Westerner reads “Western dramas.”
David Bandurski
CMP Director
