China cracks down on new cartoon taboo

In a move likely to provoke strong objections from the U.S. and Japan, China has announced a ban on cartoons that blend animation with live-action actors.

China said it made the move to nurture local animators and curb foreign influences on young viewers. Foreign cartoons dubbed in Chinese are a staple of late afternoon and weekend TV, with some shows featuring local hosts who introduce the shows.

China's main television and film regulator sent a note to broadcasters Feb. 15 banning "so-called cartoons that mainly feature real people and only occasionally have computer-generated elements."

It did not name what programs it had in mind, but warned that broadcasters who defy the ban will face penalties.

China's services sector, including the entertainment sector, is to open to foreign competitors under WTO rules. However, Chinese censors have kept a tight rein on what is allowed into the country, despite attempts by the U.S. entertainment industry to get freer access.

Shows like Jessica Rabbit and Space Jam could be banned under the new rule, though shows already approved for distribution in China, such as Blue's Clues, are to be exempt. The movie Babe was banned earlier by regulators on the grounds that pigs cannot talk. 

The cartoon ban is intended to "promote the development and prosperity of the cartoon industry in China," said the statement issued by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

The Communist nation also continues to be careful about entertainment imports because of fears of "foreign influence."

Japanese and western animated programs gained an early foothold in China, in part because of broadcasters' need for programs suitable for children. China has a population of 370 million children and teenagers.

Chinese studios have taken advantage of low labour costs to build a growing business handling the labour-intensive animation of cartoons for foreign studios. But there are few Chinese-made cartoons aside from a handful of traditional tales such as Journey to the West and some government-financed titles.

About 90 per cent of the animation market is occupied by foreign producers from Japan, the U.S. and South Korea, Lu Shengzhang, dean of animation at the Communication University of China, said in a 2005 report from Beijing-based analysts China Media Monitor.

China has said it may ban all foreign cartoons from prime time once the local animation industry develops.