A micro-drama is filmed at Hengdian World Studios in Jinhua, East China’s Zhejiang Province, on August 25, 2024. Photo: VCG

China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) released new regulatory measures to enhance the review process for micro-drama titles and mitigate problematic trends in the genre, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday. 

The latest guidelines focus on eliminating sensationalism and vulgarity in titles, while also introducing new requirements for content guidance, stylistic standards, and artistic quality. These are the latest directives from Chinese regulators for the fast-growing micro-drama sector.

Despite significant reductions in content violations through platforms’ self-regulation, the administration highlighted ongoing problems with overly provocative and low-quality titles that detract from the reputation of the micro-drama industry. 

The pursuit of high viewship and profit have driven some producers and platforms to cross the line of acceptable content for titles, the CCTV report noted.

The new guidelines emphasize stricter administration, particularly for micro-dramas distributed via mini-programs, where the pursuit of high viewship has intensified issues related to provocative titles.

NTRA also acknowledged improvements in the micro-drama sector, as the administration has implemented a tiered review policy for micro-dramas since February, encouraging creators to enhance the cultural and ideological depth of their work. This shift has led to a surge in high-quality productions that resonate with audiences' aspirations for a better life, CCTV news reported.

The definition of micro-dramas encompasses short episodes lasting from dozens seconds to about 15 minutes, featuring clear themes and continuous, coherent narratives，according to NTRA. 

TheMK sports White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Drama Industry (2024) released by China Netcasting Services Association pointed out that the micro-drama market is expected to surpass Chinese mainland film box office revenue in 2024. The market volume is expected to reach 50.44 billion yuan ($6.9 billion), representing a 34.9 percent year-on-year growth.

In recent months, the NRTA has implemented several regulatory updates targeting the micro-drama industry. On November 26, new guidelines were issued to regulate "CEO romance" micro-dramas, emphasizing the importance of avoiding content that glorifies relationships with the wealthy or powerful characters. Earlier, on October 31, the NRTA released restrictions on micro-dramas targeting older audiences, aiming to reduce formulaic content and the marginalization of senior characters.