How Hollywood and Joe Biden Got China to Drop a 20-Year Movie Quota

[flamingdem]

Joe schmoozin and helping out Hollywood workers

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/20/idUS22096264620120220

A deal to change China’s 20-year-old quota on U.S. films and low distribution fees came at the last moments of a visit by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Friday.

Spending the day with the Chinese leader in Los Angeles, Biden pressed for an end to a trade dispute that had remained unresolved for a year and had Hollywood deeply frustrated.

“We’re really close,” Biden told Xi, according to an official who was present. “It would be great to get this done.”

Also read: White House Gets China To Open Market to U.S. Movies

By the end of the day, Xi had agreed, achieving two major concessions from China that may have major implications for Hollywood in the fastest-growing movie market in the world.

The deal adds another 14 films to the 20 non-Chinese films that can currently be distributed, provided they are made in 3D or IMAX formats. (The non-3D version may also be distributed, according to the new agreement.) see more at link

[itsrobert]

1. Great more movies in 3D

oh, wait

[flamingdem]

4. It's good for business, kind of

at least it gets people to the theaters. Hugo was a good use of it.

[limpyhobbler]

2. This is an underwhelming victory for the US film industry and IMAX theaters in China.

[flamingdem]

3. Just wondering if you could

fill me in if you are up on this topic, I'm not sure what the Imax aspect is about.

[saras]

5. In the biggest picture, more mass media is not good, whether people "want" it or not

14 films? 20 more? It's pretty obvious that freedom of expression has nothing to do with it. It's about who's on the list to make money, and who has the right to propagandize the Chinese public with what.