A Chinese mainland TV program producer and Hong Kong TVB have jointly launched a music competition program, and the registration page warns candidates that those who are later found to have records of crime or severe misconduct will have to compensate the two producers by specified amounts.
The show called ShengShengBuxi (literally, can’t stop the music) will be co-produced by Mango TV, the online video platform of Hunan TV station, and TVB, and it is set to have young singers perform classic Hong Kong songs.
Singers from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong can participate in the program, the Global Times learned from Mango TV. The goal of the show is to find talented musicians proficient in Hong Kong music and Cantonese songs, and revive Hong Kong music in the new age.
The registration started on October 19 in Hong Kong and one requirement for candidates was not to have any record of criminal or immoral behavior, according to a screenshot posted by guancha.cn and some Hong Kong media outlets.
Since the registration has ended, the original page is inaccessible but the screenshot of the requirement has gone viral on Sina Weibo.
One area of speculation was that the requirement aimed to teach Hong Kong youths to abide by laws and social rules.
Eric Tsang, general manager of TVB, told the Ta Kung Pao newspaper that 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland. TVB will work closely with mainland platforms and integrate into the development of the Greater Bay Area. This collaboration with Mango TV is the first step.
He noted that the Hong Kong rioters affected many young people in Hong Kong and guided them wrongly. TV stations should shoulder their social responsibility to deliver more positive energy.
Some netizens on Sina Weibo speculated the requirement aimed to exclude singers with such records in fear that their misdeeds would be revealed after they start filming, and create troubles for the program.
Mango TV’s other variety show Call Me By Fire has encountered the same situation twice, when mainland singer Huo Zun was suspected of cheating on his girlfriend and again when pianist Li Yundi was suspected of soliciting prostitutes. Mango TV had to cut or blur scenes featuring them overnight.
China has strengthened punishment of celebrities who committed crimes or engaged in immoral behavior since Cyberspace Administration of China published a notice. Some stars in the Chinese mainland, including actress Zheng Shuang and some drug scandal-hit musicians, have lost any chance to appear in front of the public again.
