Friday, December 29, 2006

media - SARFT goes after internet TV

The State Administration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT) has issued earlier this week a ruling banning so-called internet TV, says Danwei. According to Danwei the notice does not focus at the so-called video-sharing companies, but it does mention 'real' TV-like enterprises:
Just in Beijing, there are the so-called "China International Net TV" (www.ccnettv.com), "China International Media Net TV", www.cimn.tv, "China International Economic TV" (www.ccentv.com, www.ccentv.tv), "China Net TV" www.cntv.net.cn, two "Central Net TV" www.vctv.cn and www.tvch.tv and "China Asia Net TV" www.zytv.tv.

Also Danwei itself has a rather popular TV-edition.
This summer SARFT tried to expand its turf by trying to claim jurisdiction over all video-sharing companies, but that did not work out as it wanted. Now it has limited the scope and secured the cooperation of the Ministry of Information Industry, the Publicity Department and 16 other government departments involved in regulating the internet.
Drawing a line between what SARFT describes as "illegal" TV-operations and other online activities might prove to be a challenge.

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