Taking TV programs off the air for awhile in China

[TLB]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13308162

 

"China has ordered TV stations across the country not to air any detective shows, spy thrillers or dramas about time-travel for the next three months."

 

I guess maybe they're afraid there will be a time-travel episode showing the future of China without the CCP? B)

[Mick]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13308162

 

"China has ordered TV stations across the country not to air any detective shows, spy thrillers or dramas about time-travel for the next three months."

 

I guess maybe they're afraid there will be a time-travel episode showing the future of China without the CCP? B)

 

I am so glad I am not living over there right now. I was living there in the runup to the 50th anniversary of the founding of the PRC (in 1999) and there was virtually nothing on TV except propaganda on the tube for months. Fortunately, the stations in Hong Kong didn't have to abide by the restrictions and that is where English language TV came from back then. Those old 1950's black and white movies glorifying the Party were a real trip. And to give you an idea how the younger set views this stuff, my students would come to our apartment to watch TV and some were literally rolling in the floor with laughter as they watched this stuff.

[Randy W]

Tuned to 2 English language TV stations right now - one had 2 dead bodies, and 3 people with rifles pointed at one another, another is about Al Capone

 

Remember that this is the same "news" outlet that reported "China bans English words in media"

 

There are a few English language stations these days - including CCTV First Theatre which shows HBO movies every evening, DOX TV which shows a few TV series from the US, including Friends, and a couple of nature/science channels which show programming from Discovery, BBC, and New Zealand.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

If you want to watch Western programming in China, just get a satellite connection. Problem solved.

[Mick]

If you want to watch Western programming in China, just get a satellite connection. Problem solved.

 

When I lived in China, satellite connections were generally unavailable. My first year, spent in Anhui Province, was especially tough if you wanted English language TV. Star TV was available on cable, but that was it. At that time, CCTV 4 carried some English programming. When I left there (1998), satellite hook ups were still very rare. I have a friend who is still teaching there and he still can't get a satellite connection, even living in Hefei, the capital. Even the university where I taught could not get one. I am sure things have changed a lot. My last four years (1999-2003), spent down in Guangdong, were somewhat better but still, satellite service was spotty at best. Most of our English language tv came out of Hong Kong.

 

Like I said, I am sure things have advanced greatly since I left China to move back to the States (2003). I suspect Jiangsu is pretty wide open by now. My wife's brother and sister both live in Jiangsu, the former in Changzhou and the latter in Ma'anshan, which is actually right on the border with Anhui. Where bouts do you be?

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

If you want to watch Western programming in China, just get a satellite connection. Problem solved.

 

When I lived in China, satellite connections were generally unavailable. My first year, spent in Anhui Province, was especially tough if you wanted English language TV. Star TV was available on cable, but that was it. At that time, CCTV 4 carried some English programming. When I left there (1998), satellite hook ups were still very rare. I have a friend who is still teaching there and he still can't get a satellite connection, even living in Hefei, the capital. Even the university where I taught could not get one. I am sure things have changed a lot. My last four years (1999-2003), spent down in Guangdong, were somewhat better but still, satellite service was spotty at best. Most of our English language tv came out of Hong Kong.

 

Like I said, I am sure things have advanced greatly since I left China to move back to the States (2003). I suspect Jiangsu is pretty wide open by now. My wife's brother and sister both live in Jiangsu, the former in Changzhou and the latter in Ma'anshan, which is actually right on the border with Anhui. Where bouts do you be?

 

 

 

You're right. Things have changed a lot just in the past few years. Satellite connections must be made and maintained discreetly. Some communities, regions, and provinces actively look for satellite dishes and disconnect them. However, leniency is often given to a foreigner. I use a mini-dish, attached from my apartment balcony. The signal out of the Philippines from Dream Network, is one of the most commonly intercepted. First time installation includes the dish and electronic decoder. That costs about 4000-5000 RMB. After that it's 2500 RMB per year to maintain the connection. The technicians do not openly advertise, using word-of-mouth to get their leads. My technician claims connections are available all over China, in every province and city. I have no way to verify this. I'm in Jiangsu province just north of the beautiful province of Anhui. By the way, Huangshan mountain is one of the most beautiful sites in China. I'm not too far from Maanshan

Edited May 8, 2011 by JiangsuExpat (see edit history)

[Beachey]

 

 

You're right. Things have changed a lot just in the past few years. Satellite connections must be made and maintained discreetly. Some communities, regions, and provinces actively look for satellite dishes and disconnect them. However, leniency is often given to a foreigner. I use a mini-dish, attached from my apartment balcony. The signal out of the Philippines from Dream Network, is one of the most commonly intercepted. First time installation includes the dish and electronic decoder. That costs about 4000-5000 RMB. After that it's 2500 RMB per year to maintain the connection. The technicians do not openly advertise, using word-of-mouth to get their leads. My technician claims connections are available all over China, in every province and city. I have no way to verify this. I'm in Jiangsu province just north of the beautiful province of Anhui. By the way, Huangshan mountain is one of the most beautiful sites in China. I'm not too far from Maanshan

 

 

I am sure this varies from city to city but I am able to get a satellite cable (Discovery, NatGeo,HBO,Starz, ESPN International, CNN International) through my landlord. I think this is because I live in the right building (upper class with many foreigners). I know they needed my passport to get it approved. ESPN is mostly soccer though they had the NFL playoffs and some MLB playoffs. I watch very little of this.

 

I also get the Chinese stations though the only one I ever watch is CCTV5 which is all-sports. Two years ago they had the Super Bowl and does play NBA games.

 

However, it is amazing what you can find using Baidu. My wife has been through Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives. She found me Modern Family. (all in English). I know of some other expats what are better than I at Bit Teorrents and can get basically any US TV program they want.

 

I try to emphasize that Sex and the City/Desperate Housewives have no relation to what life is really like in America, but that is another thread.

[Meelo]

 

You're right. Things have changed a lot just in the past few years. Satellite connections must be made and maintained discreetly. Some communities, regions, and provinces actively look for satellite dishes and disconnect them. However, leniency is often given to a foreigner. I use a mini-dish, attached from my apartment balcony. The signal out of the Philippines from Dream Network, is one of the most commonly intercepted. First time installation includes the dish and electronic decoder. That costs about 4000-5000 RMB. After that it's 2500 RMB per year to maintain the connection. The technicians do not openly advertise, using word-of-mouth to get their leads. My technician claims connections are available all over China, in every province and city. I have no way to verify this. I'm in Jiangsu province just north of the beautiful province of Anhui. By the way, Huangshan mountain is one of the most beautiful sites in China. I'm not too far from Maanshan

 

 

DW found a guy that installed our pirate dish for dream network for only 1200rmb in Shanghai. The card needed to be replaced every 6 months which was included in the price, but I usually tipped him 100rmb because he came out the same day. Since then, we moved the dish to our house in Hangzhou and the guy just mails us the card. But we havent been back for 18 months so not sure if he is still able to get us the cards.

 

I also used the slingbox to stream video from my brother's house to our apt in Shanghai. That was awesome! Full control over my TiVo!

[Randy W]

The English language channels carried by the Chinese cable companies are least affected by the propaganda orders, although some will go off the air for the actual event. I notice that we seem to be seeing more of the earthquake "coverage" about how different governments have cooperated to help the recovery (building standards are mentioned as officials are telling residents why their new buildings need to use heavier rebar ), but it's very hard to tell if there's any actual difference.

 

Foreign satellite TV channels, of course, are not affected at all.

[Mick]

The English language channels carried by the Chinese cable companies are least affected by the propaganda orders, although some will go off the air for the actual event. I notice that we seem to be seeing more of the earthquake "coverage" about how different governments have cooperated to help the recovery (building standards are mentioned as officials are telling residents why their new buildings need to use heavier rebar ), but it's very hard to tell if there's any actual difference.

 

Foreign satellite TV channels, of course, are not affected at all.

 

Randy, I remember the four years Li and I lived in Guangdong, our only English language tv came via cable out of Hong Kong. On the news programs, whenever a taboo subject was mentioned (Taiwan, Tibet, Falun Gong), the tv would go blank, followed by a public service announcement. As soon as the objectionable material was finsihed, the news would come back on.

Edited May 14, 2011 by Mick (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

Randy, I remember the four years Li and I lived in Guangdong, our only English language tv came via cable out of Hong Kong. On the news programs, whenever a taboo subject was mentioned (Taiwan, Tibet, Falun Gong), the tv would go blank, followed by a public service announcement. As soon as the objectionable material was finsihed, the news would come back on.

 

 

Yeah, the university has a CNN International and an HBO Asia feed that would do that on rare occasions.

 

What amazes me is the western commentators they have on CCTV News who seem to avoid controversial statements somehow - seems like the Chinese have the "rosy, harmonious view from the front porch" story down pretty pat.

[carl.hops]

I'm happy to be here in China, yeah theres nothing good to watch on T.V. but that makes it so much easier to not watch it, and instead enjoy the language, culture and everything else on offer. It is too bad, because I'm a huge science fiction nerd but its not going to spoil any nerds parade over here, even with the great firewall they can't block all the sci-fi time travel etc... being shared on the net, and with new draconian laws trying to be passed in the states to censor torrent sites and the like I'm getting a bit worried, if the states cant keep the internet free than were all about to have an even bigger veil pulled over our eyes.

[Randy W]

One of my favorite English language stations

 

http://i56.tinypic.com/2ppbzma.jpg

 

NO - it says P-155 !!