Experts say that the Chinese administration’s censorship is killing popular genres in the $5 billion market.
The Chinese administration has introduced licensing requirements for microdrama broadcasts, further increasing control over popular online short format videos.
According to an official notification issued by the Chinese government’s national radio and television administration, all Chinese microdrama makers either obtain a “network drama streaming license” or complete online registration procedures before broadcasting short videos online You need to.
If there is a violation, content makers will face interrogation, suspension of broadcasting, and other punishments by authorities, the notification read.
“Online audiovisual platforms should not go online to spread micro-short dramas that do not have a permit or filing number, and there is no need to attract or push traffic,” the notification states. .
In recent years, microdramas have become increasingly popular in China. These dramas usually consist of multiple episodes, one to three minutes long, with frequent plot changes and are surrounded vertically for easy viewing on mobile phones. Millions of viewers are willing to watch short dramas on their phones every day and pay to see more.
It is estimated that the Chinese microdrama market is growing at $5 billion a year. It is also becoming a major competitor in China’s film industry, maintaining that the Communist Party of China (CCP) is in control of all content.
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The Chinese administration has long shown its intention to increase control over popular and easy-to-make microdramas. In June 2024, we implemented a “pre-broadcast review” policy for short-form videos.
According to the latest notification, the authorities have implemented a “layered review” system with three categories based on content and microdrama production budgets. ($41,200).
The content of the short video is subject to intense scrutiny. According to the notification, microdramas recommended and broadcasted in the first slot of the platform’s homepage must be reviewed by the NRTA. In particular, microdramas on major or special themes such as “politics, military, diplomacy, national security, the united front” should be reviewed according to the relevant review system.
“The authoritarian regime of the CCP controls everything,” Australia-based Chinese historian Li Yuanhua told the Epoch Times on February 6th.
“Now, almost everyone has one or more mobile phones. Everyone watches content on the phone every day. Microdrama is widespread and it reaches its target audience very easily.” he said.
Li said, on the one hand, that the new regulations are implementing the CCP agenda of monitoring people’s thoughts.
“CCP, meanwhile, manages microdrama for financial gain, as it is rapidly growing into a massive $5 billion market on roughly the same scale as the Chinese film industry.” he said.
“These two reasons have led to increased CCP’s recent control over microdrama.”
U.S.-based Chinese scholar Wu Zuorai, who was once responsible for Chinese culture, said that because many Chinese people are unemployed and there are no employment opportunities, “They are working on microdrama productions.” I’m participating and I sell products to them.”
“I estimate tens of millions of Chinese people are making microdramas,” Wu told The Epoch Times. Currently, CCP management measures are making a living. ”
Wu added that the CCP’s content review process is primarily related to maintaining control over the political narrative.
“(CCP) controls mostly anti-communist information and things that reveal truth about society,” Wu says, and when such content is uploaded to the Internet, “they’ll soon be chained.” It forms an explosive effect.”
“Where the violent attacks have occurred, where people are killing CCP officials, people are rebelling. CCP is targeting content that affects the stability of the rules.”
On August 15th, 2023, a man checks his phone while eating at a food court at a Beijing mall. Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images
Kill genres
Observers believe that the strict control of the CCP is killing the emerging genre and the creativity of the Chinese people.
When CCP disrupts the production and distribution of microdrama content and controls people’s thoughts, it “restricts the subject matter significantly,” Li said.
“CCP wants to use microdrama to introduce and instill the so-called main theme of CCP. This will cause the original vitality to be lost. People are not willing to invest and the audience is not able to do so. You don’t spend money looking at the “mainstream” CCP. The microdrama genre is likely to die after that,” he said.
Lai Rongwei, CEO of the Taiwan Inspirational Association, a democratic nonprofit, shares a similar view.
“The CCP overly obstructs the market and operates fully according to the main theme set up. Of course, this harms art and creation, and the country loses its ability to innovate,” he said on February 6th. He spoke to the Chinese Epoch Times.
Luo Ya and Reuters contributed to this report.
