China's film authority has begun a large-scale survey of film-goers and the result will be used to help the authority to decide whether or not to adopt a film rating system, said Saturday's China Daily.
A total of 2,060 people in 30 major cities will be interviewed, making the survey the largest of its kind in China, the Beijing-based newspaper quoted Wu Ke, film administration deputy director with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, as saying.
The authority will take the results of the survey into full consideration when making decisions, such as whether to launch paid movie channels and to adopt film rating system, according to Wu.
But Wu denied speculation that a film rating system will be introduced to the Chinese mainland in the short term. He added that the film authority is still considering the feasibility of such a practice.
The subject of film rating has been a heated debate among both industry insiders and ordinary filmgoers recently.
Proponents of the system say it will give film producers more scope when choosing topics, thus spurring the industry to produce more attractive and competitive movies.
Opponents are worried that a rating system might lead to the legalization of film with explicit sex or violence.
(People's Daily July 7, 2003)
