China on Thursday expanded its crackdown on the entertainment industry, ordering broadcasters to ban artists with “immoral” records and “wrong political positions” and to ban men who are “female” in their performance style.
A “patriotic atmosphere” should be cultivated and spread on entertainment shows, China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday. It goes on to say that unhealthy content must be regulated and television star paychecks capped.
“People with wrong political attitudes against the country and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) should not be employed by industry. The same goes for those who violate Chinese laws or social morals, ”read an English translation of the NRTA announcement, as reported by The Global Times.
The notice expressly mentioned the prohibition of so-called “abnormal aesthetics” and referred to it as a style that is propagated by “female men” on television.
Conversations with “vulgar” internet celebrities, scandals and the display of wealth should be avoided, she added.
The new rules are set against a backdrop of a number of scandals – from tax evasion to rape allegations – involving well-known online and television actors. The stars involved have a huge online following and are icons for several brands.
Last week, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced that it would take action against the chaotic culture of celebrity online fan culture as part of the campaign to correct the Internet sector.
The CAC announced it would crack down on algorithms that encourage fans to spend large sums of money in support of celebrities.
The call for an end from stars who are viewed as too “feminine” is on the rise in China.
The Chinese news agency Xinhua has also denounced fan culture, arguing that fan loyalty “can become blind and toxic, which can lead to online trolling, impulsive purchases, rumors, cyberspace searches and other problems.”
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