The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) in China has issued six new guidelines on the production of TV serials, further tightening its control of the country’s content output.

These guidelines ban the adaptation of online games and foreign TV formats, demand that family conflicts in programmes and jokes in period dramas be reduced, and expect revolution-themed shows to draw a clear line between heroes and villains. 

Last month, the SARFT introduced a ruling that requires internet video providers to examine all content before publishing them online. In February, the regulator banned foreign programmes from being shown during primetime.