Chinese script writers will need to become more creative. SARFT (the ministry in charge of among others TV) will publish a regulation that asks for less extramarital affairs in soap opera’s on TV. According to an article in the Shanghai Daily, soaps have lost the interest of the audience, and less and less people are watching them. But I am afraid that not allowing to show affairs in soaps won’t increase viewership – the soap opera’s are already boring, taking out this part certainly does not make them more interesting.

An online survey of TV viewers showed that the cheating “affects family harmony and leaves a bad impression on the youth”. And it attracts audiences, but they forgot to mention that. According to the article CCTV recently dumped 700(!) episodes of soaps, most of them related to love affairs. So what will happen now? I don’t think Chinese script writers will come up with new great ideas or formats soon, so this means even less people watching TV. Welcome to Tudou.com TV audiences (and advertisers)!