China Media Monitor Headlines Archives

The State Administration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT) has shut down almost 30 BitTorrent download sites as part of its latest campaign against unlicensed video sites and online pornography. Before the crackdown, more than 100 BitTorrent download sites were operating in China. SARFT instructed all online video operators to apply for a license and remove all pornographic content in a circular released in December 2007.

CCTV.com and Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd (SNDA) plan to launch their first joint online game - Across the World II (Zong Heng Tianxia II) – in the near future, according to CCTV.com on December 17. SNDA developed Across the World I (Zong Heng Tianxia I) in 2007, which ranked in the Best Web Games list produced by the China Game Industry Association. CCTV.com has previously announced plans to enter China's online game industry.

The State Administration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT) released strict new regulations on the TV shopping industry on December 10. The regulations introduce strict new rules governing TV shopping channel operation and content production. They also restrict the volume of TV shopping programs that can be aired over ordinary channels that are not dedicated TV shopping channels, as well as the timeslots the programs can be aired in. After the regulations take effect in January 2010, broadcasters will need to apply to SARFT for approval to operate a TV shopping channel or air TV shopping content on a non-dedicated TV shopping channel.

188 mainland newspapers and magazines to either stopped publishing or were acquired by other publishing groups by November 2009, according to the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP). Government funding has been withdrawn from most newspapers and periodical publishers under the publishing reforms initiated by GAPP last year, forcing commercially uncompetitive publications to withdraw from the market.

Mainland web portal Sohu has won a copyright infringement suit against the online video site Youku, according to Sina. On December 16, the Beijing Haidian District People's Court found Youku guilty of hosting four films in contravention of Youku's exclusive broadcasting rights. The court ordered Youku to pay Sohu RMB105,000 (US15,373.35) in compensation. Another video site, Voole, also won a copyright infringement suit against Youku on November 26.