Streaming of live online performances, such as concerts, music festivals and operas, shall be conducted in “delayed” mode, according to draft regulation published on September 23 on the website of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Such a broadcast delay would enable specific personnel assigned by internet platforms to do real-time supervision of online performances and block what they determine as problematic content. The ministry is soliciting public feedback until October 10, a routine procedure before the regulation takes effect.
Under the proposed regulation, internet platforms are required to apply for pre-approval in cases where foreign performers are involved in the online show. Pre-approvals are also required to stream shows held or recorded outside mainland China.
The draft regulation, however, did not specify which aspects of online performances must be censored.
In June this year, the NRTA and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism jointly published an 18-point guideline that outlined the qualifications online influencers must have to discuss certain subjects. That new regulation also listed 31 banned behaviours during live-streaming sessions.
