Chinese Singing Show To Go On, With a New Name and Conditions

Sigh... I really don't get it. What is the CCP afraid of? Is it the public voting? Is the competition is not "patriotic" enough because they're singing pop songs? Or is it just a knee-jerk reaction to control anything that's popular?

Wall Street Journal

After a two-year absence, the enormously popular Super Girls, China’s single-sex answer to American Idol, is back, albeit under a new name. This time, it’s called “Happy Girls” (快乐女声 in Chinese), according to Xinhua News Agency.

...

A spokesman for Hunan Satellite Television told the media late last month that a revival of the televised singing competition had been approved by the Sarft, though not without several conditions attached.

These conditions include the following: the competition may last no more than two months (about half the length of an American Idol season); episodes may only air after 10:30 pm; judges must be appropriately dressed and use proper language; competitors are not allowed to hug each other or shed tears on stage; and there must not be any fan groups cheering for contestants in the studio audience. Meanwhile, all forms of public voting for contestants, including mobile text messaging and online polls, will be prohibited, as reported by the Chinese-language media.

Maybe SARFT just don't want people to be entertained, or happy.

==========



I saw Jane Zhang in concert a few years ago in Pasadena with Leon and Fred. She finished in 3rd place in the 2005 Super Girl competition.