Rupert Murdoch, Climate-Change Believer?

China’s “great leap backward” continues apace. The nation’s radio-and-television authority has urged Chinese media to “resolutely resist showing off wealth and enjoyment, hyping up gossip and privacy, negative hot topics, vulgar ‘internet celebrities’ and the bottomless appreciation of ugliness, and other pan-entertainment tendencies.” Whew! Oh, and also, according to Reuters, to “ban ‘deformed’ tastes such as ‘sissy idols’ who do not conform to macho or masculine male stereotypes prevalent in traditional Chinese culture.”

“The slew of regulatory overhauls has been swift and dizzying,” noted The Guardian. “In recent months, Chinese authorities have come for e-commerce, social media, the $100bn private education industry, artists, celebrities and reality television, affecting individuals from Alibaba boss Jack Ma to actor Vicki Zhao.” (You might have seen Zhao in Jade Goddess of Mercy. Or not.) The government insists that President Xi Jinping’s cultural crackdown is merely for the greater societal good. Hence the edict that minors’ bottomless appreciation of the pan-entertainment tendency known as gaming be limited to a few hours a week.