Many young people seem to like the androgynous appearance. Not the Communist Party. She has now given Chinese television stations a clear instruction.
Beijing – Pop culture doesn’t have it easy in China *. Gamers are not welcomed in the country, which is why they have recently been reprimanded here *. Now reality talent shows are in the sights of the government, as reported by the AFP news agency. In Germany * these are a popular entertainment format.
Talent shows, in which hundreds of aspiring young people and adults go through tough boot camps and face public votes, are also very popular in the People’s Republic. However, this could soon be over.
China’s government sees “effeminate men” and “abnormal aesthetics” in TV shows
Now such a thing should no longer be sent there. Rather, the media are encouraged to promote a more masculine representation of men. “Broadcasters are not allowed to show any formats with the creation of alleged hero characters or vaudeville and reality shows,” said the state regulatory authority, according to AFP.
She instructed the broadcasters to defend themselves against “abnormal aesthetics” such as “effeminate” men as well as against “vulgar influencers”, inflated fees and “depraved morals” of artists. A “patriotic, virtuous and artistic ethos” should be created in the entertainment industry. The instruction is apparently targeted against a trend in which the more feminine or androgynous appearance of singers or actors had spilled over from South Korea and Japan to China.
Birth rate in China is falling – but is it really pop culture to blame?
For some time now, China has been taking extensive action against an “immoral” pop culture, which Beijing says is leading young people astray. There was criticism of obsessive fans and allegedly bad role models. In addition, in view of falling birth rates, Chinese authorities are trying to instill more traditional ideas about masculinity in young people.
The new instructions came as part of a new regulation of the entertainment industry. The background is also some scandals about Chinese stars as well as the “national renewal” and ideologization of society pursued by state and party leader Xi Jinping.
Internet in China: One billion out of 1.4 billion people use it
But reality shows are now also taking place on the Internet. The state information center for Internet use (CNNIC) announced in August that this is the first time that more than a billion people are using it in China. The number in the population grew by 21.75 million in just six months. Around 1.4 billion people live in China. So the majority are online.
Above all, the use of smartphones is spreading rapidly in China and more and more services and tasks are being handled digitally – from electricity bills to food deliveries to visits to the doctor. The CNNIC justified the significant increase in user numbers with an improvement in the digital infrastructure, growing offers on the Internet and better logistics in small towns and in the countryside, which in turn is driving online trade.
At the national level, the Internet coverage is 71.6 percent, in rural areas the coverage is 59.2 percent, according to the state authority. The leadership in Beijing, however, strictly monitors the Internet and takes action against government-critical but also pornographic content. Social networks are also regulated. A number of foreign websites are officially blocked in China, including Google, Facebook and several media sites.
Turning away from the one-child policy: China’s leadership is changing course over decades
The Chinese leadership has been looser in recent months when it comes to how many children the residents are allowed to father. Chinese couples are now officially allowed to have up to three children. This is a clear about-face from the rigid one-child policy that applied to a large part of the population from 1980 to 2016.
The measure is in response to the rapidly aging Chinese society. According to official statistics, the Chinese population will start to shrink in the next few years. (frs / AFP / dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
