WSJ: China TV bans images of pigs in commercials.

[pampango]

"China is a multiethnic country," the network's ad department said in a notice sent to ad agencies late Tuesday. "To show respect to Islam, and upon guidance from higher levels of the government, CCTV will keep any 'pig' images off the TV screen."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116969259069387154.html?mod=hps_us_pageone

The Chinese Year of the Pig starts in February and some companies had prepared ads tied to this. CCTV is the state-run television network. My quick research indicates that the Koran does not prohibit displaying images of pigs, just forbids Muslims to eat pork.

You could look at this as being sensitive to the sensibilities of some of China's ethnic minorities, though there is not mention in the article that there have been any complaints from domestic or foreign Muslims about the display of pig images. Another possibility is that China importation of oil is growing faster than any other country and we all know where most of that comes from. Perhaps this is a preemptive display of solidarity.

You cannot lay this at the feet of protestations from Muslim clerics, since none have urged China to do this.

[htuttle]

1. Seems kind of silly, when probably 1/2 the meat diet of most Chinese is pork...

"Big man, pig man, ha ha, charade you are..."

[Poll_Blind]

2. I don't condone banning images of repulsive animals, even Condi.

  On the serious side though I think it's mostly the "show of solidarity" you were speaking of.

BTW, Condi's sister- the GOOD one in the Evil Twin analogy, is quite an attractive, intelligent, liberal person.

Thanksgiving as GOT to be interesting at the Rice house!

PB

[Rosemary2205]

3. I can't figure out why Muslims even watch TV.

I always thought islam had a rule against creating the likeless of any living thing (wouldn't film and photography do that?)

I guess that is one of those things some follow and some don't. -- like Christians and all those laws in Leviticus.

[BayCityProgressive]

4. but but but

I thought China, socialists, and liberals all hate God and want to mock him everywhere by saying Happy Holidays?!??

[Coventina]

5. Wow, two groups I hold in contempt acting like idiots:

The Chinese government and Islamic fundamentalists.

So you can't even celebrate a cultural tradition of your own because it might offend someone elses?

That's bullshit.

[pampango]

8. I'm not sure we can lay this one at the doorstep of the Islamic

fundamentalists. I don't think any of them were complaining about Chinese depictions of pigs on TV. This is more likely the result of the incompetence of some high level Chinese government officials who are trying to ingratiate the country with the oil-producing countries of the Middle East.

[Amused Musings]

14. This is probably the best guest

I did not even think of it at all. But I bet it has something to do with it, especially as they move further into Iran and Sudan. The Chinese government is not famous for taking the considerations of its civilians into account.

[Solon]

13. Only one group is acting like idiots in this case...

I never heard of Muslims advocating for this type of shit, sounds like the Chinese government has no clue what Islam is about anyways.

[roamer65]

6. So this means no pics of the pigman Limbaugh on CCTV, right?

[Behind the Aegis]

7. This is just odd.

Keeping pigs off the screen? What a load of horse shit!

[JVS]

11. I'm guessing that there are no longer pigs in China, so they can't be on TV.

The government is supplying people with artificial pork generated from some kind of horrific genetically modified creatures that are approximately 30 feet long and every week grows 3 feet at one end and shed off 3 feet of body in the rear. This cast off section is processed and fed to the people.
;-) :tinfoilhat:

[SoCalDem]

9. Limits the success of the "Babe" DVDs, doesn;t it ? n/t

[Touchdown]

10. First no MSG and now this???

:evilgrin:

[Solon]

12. Sounds like stupidity to me...

The whole Pig thing is a DIETARY restriction, NOT an image restriction! Some people are really stupid when it comes to this, are Jews and Muslim offended by the movie "Babe"? I don't think so. Are Catholics under some restriction to watch only Fishing shows on Fridays?

[Berry Cool]

15. I guess they don't run the HSBC ads we see there then

You know, the ones with red cartoon piggy banks.

[Swamp Rat]

16. So, the Chinese people will be spared from seeing Cheney from now on.

[scarletwoman]

17. The Chinese elite are afraid that the Chinese masses might start noticing the resemble.

Surely "Capitalist Pig" has not completely disappeared from its once universal usage.

sw

[Canuckistanian]

18. If they do show a pig, will they be executed?

What an enlightened country.