Teletubbies Banned in China
China's State Administration of Radio Film and Television has just announced a ban on "Cartoons that blend live-action actors," that includes Teletubbies and Roger the Rabit.
I guess the The Jerry Falwell Christian Fundamentalists and China can now be best friends over this topic err but with different motives. China's reasoning is to promote Chinese animators and to decrease foreign cartoons, which is already limited to 40%; Jerry's motive is because Tinky Winky represents an closeted gay boy with subversive gay symbols (triangle) which means he's an immoral role model promoting libertine Teletubby bacchanalia for little kids. Ummmm I think the Chinese's patriotic reasoning sounds a bit more logical than Jerry's? Hey gotta watch our for your country's animators.
Although many people have been quick to be critical of China's cartoon policy, keep in mind that a country with such high unemployment, especially in the media production sectors, you've got to motivate companies to hire your own peeps. I remember speaking to lots of graduates of Beijing's Broadcast University, and they were telling me that it's been impossible to get a paid job. So here is a tip to China's State Admin of Radio Film and Television - if you want to hire more of your own animators - then you've go to change the way you teach your film and video students. My friend's son in Beijing enrolled at a University to learn digital effects editing, and he's a sophomore who has yet to take one film or video class, much less learn anything about digital effects - he told me that the first two years it's mandatory math and other rote subjects that have nothing to do with his major. So if you want to start churning our more animators, please let them start animating earlier on! Let's hope the Chinese version of Teletubbies is just as Tubbylicious.
On a side note, there's going to be an even wider availability of pirated Sponge Bob Square Pants on the streets. Cool! I just wonder now will Chinese kids get in trouble for dressing up like La-La or Dipsy?
Here's a ongoing list of all banned cartoons.