A popular Chinese cartoon suddenly stopped airing on China
Central Television's Children's Channel on February 26 after 89
episodes were broadcast. Rumor has it that some parents' complaints
of "violence,” "implied sex," and "explicit language" that caused
the suspension. However, CCTV's working staff denied the rumor and
said they are going to re-broadcast the cartoon at a different
time.
On February 26, many Chinese children were waiting before their
televisions for Rainbow Cat and Blue Rabbit: Legend of Seven
Cavaliers. However, those young fans found that the familiar
faces had suddenly disappeared. Rumors soon circulated in the media
that parents had complained to the national TV station and
convinced them to cancel the show.?
But a staffer working for the Children's Channel told
China.org.cn via telephone today that the rumors are not true.
"CCTV's censorship is very strict. If there had been any violence
and sex scenes in any program, we would cut them before its actual
broadcasting on TV screens, let alone the fact it is a children's
cartoon," he said.
"This cartoon has not been terminated. It is just normal program
re-arrangement, because February 26 was the day when schools'
winter vacations were over." He added that CCTV is intending to
rebroadcast the cartoon in a new time slot when the whole channel
program rearrangement is finished.
Despite CCTV's explanation, China Youth Daily reported
yesterday that many young fans are furious at the suspension. Some
media reports have led kids to believe it was freelancer Liu
Shuhong who caused the cancellation. The writer once posted an
entry on his blog, asking CCTV to withdraw the cartoon "full of
violence and sex and wrong values," which was supported by many
parents on various Internet forums and message boards.
But a student from a Nanjing primary school told China Youth
Daily that he felt adults don't know their children and often
underestimate them. He said every TV production has two sides, and
children can judge what is wrong and what is right.
Another 11-year-old said he could see "team work" and the
"spirit of fighting against evil" in the cartoon. "The
adult-recommended Journey to the West is also a story full
of violence. But what the story wants to do is teaching people how
to persist in their goals."
The Chinese cartoon classic the Calabash Brothers'
screenwriter Yao Zhongli recalled that the Calabash
Brothers, though highly popular in China, was also considered
as a production with "violent tendencies and not appropriate for
children" in the United States.?
?
Some netizens suggest parental guidance is needed, but parents
should not ask cartoon producers to shoulder all the educational
responsibilities.
According to Chengdu Business, CCTV's suspension of the cartoon
may not cause a big loss for its production company since the
108-episode Legend of Seven Cavaliers has helped Hunan
Great Dreams Cartoon Media Co. Ltd. earn about 30 million yuan
net-income via the TV and book publishing markets.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, March 5, 2007)
