'Red channel' drops ads
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Nearly two months after Chongqing satellite television channel replaced all its entertainment shows with "red culture" programming to highlight the benefits of socialism, the channel stopped airing commercial advertisements.
The spots will be used to air revolutionary songs and public interests ads, Chongqing Evening News reported.
"Without commercial ads, it is actually the taxpayers that will maintain the operation of the channel," Huang Shengming, the dean of the advertising school at the Communication University of China, told the Global Times Wednesday.
The change in January turned the channel into China's first "red" station. It is dedicated to highlighting the advantages of socialism and reminding people of the revolutionary past.
The report said the changes came even as other channels are increasing entertainment shows.
Entertaining drama series were replaced with classic movies about the Red Army and anti-Japanese war films among others.
An unidentified Chongqing Broadcasting Group official told the paper that the channel strives to promote socialist culture, common good, educate people and highlight good social values.
The channel will focus on creating cultural programs and public-interest ads.
Huang said the channel made an error in judgment since paid commercials are used to support most media outlets.
"Commercial ads could push consumption and the economic development. It exerts no harm on the spreading of red and socialist culture. The channel had a misunderstanding toward ads and the socialist market economy," Huang said.
Audiences held different views.
Chen Yuhan, 26, of Chongqing, told the Global Times that public channels exist in Hong Kong and other countries including the BBC in UK.
"Competition between channels are so fierce. It might be a good test to find a different niche," Chen said.
Liang Huan, a Chongqing native and a college student in Beijing, told the Global Times that relying on public funds alone may not work out in the long run.
Chongqing Broadcasting Group refused to comment on the issue Wednesday when the Global Times called.
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