(Bloomberg) — President Xi Jinping ordered sweeping action to clean up the entertainment industry, with the broadcast regulator moving to ban film stars with “incorrect” politics, cap salaries and eliminate celebrity culture.
Television companies and internet platforms were ordered to “strictly control the selection of program actors and guests, and uphold political literacy, moral conduct, artistic level, and social evaluation as selection standards,” according to a statement on Thursday from the National Radio and Television Administration.
The regulator added that “those who have incorrect political positions and who are divided in heart and practice from the party and the country must not be used.”
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Xi’s regulatory crackdown has targeted vast segments of the nation’s economy, from tech companies to the property industry and after-school tutoring. A commentary published widely in state media has described the drive as a “profound revolution” sweeping the country and warned that anyone who resisted would face punishment.
Highlights of the statement included:
- Tighter controls of reality shows
- Promote and strengthen Chinese culture
- Avoid showing off wealth
- Regulate pay of actors, crack down on tax evasion
- ‘Consciously resist the temptation of fame and wealth’
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