China recently revealed a draft regulation to ban importing overseas current news programs, which communication observers said, is to prevent Western ideology infiltration and destabilization of China.
"Any unit or individual is prohibited from importing overseas current news programs," says the draft regulation on importing and disseminating overseas video and audio programs.
The overseas audiovisual programs in the regulation refer to overseas films, TV dramas, animation, documentaries and programs on education, technology, culture, entertainment and sports.
According to the regulation, the State Council will be in charge of the work to approve imported foreign audio and video programs that concern national security, diplomatic relations, ethnicity and military.
China's TV broadcasting agencies that fail to get approval from related authorities are banned from broadcasting overseas audio and video programs between 7 to 10 pm, according to the draft regulation.
Wang Sixin, a professor at the Communication University of China in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday that China has strict restrictions on organizations engaging in journalism in the country, but over the years, many overseas current news programs have been circulated online due to diversified news delivery channels in the internet era.
Individuals or units which imported such programs have exploited the loophole of current regulations, and online platforms and other broadcasting service providers usually turn a blind eye to these programs, Wang said.
"But some foreign organizations may use overseas news programs to deliberately desseminate their ideology to the Chinese public and such programs may also contain political or economic appeal, which may undermine the relationship between the Chinese government and its citizens or even sabotage social stability," Wang said.
The draft regulation, which is released on the chinalaw.gov.cn, China's legislative information website on Thursday, is soliciting public opinion until October 19.
Separately, a draft regulation on overseas personnel involved in making and broadcasting TV programs in China was also released on Thursday for public opinions until October 20.
The production of broadcasting TV programs that hire overseas personnel have to advocate core socialist values and positive energy.
"Stressing the core socialist value is to prevent some overseas personnel from circulating improper ideology in the name of cultural differences," Wang said.