Governing entertainment celebrities in China: practices, policies and politics (2005–2020)

ABSTRACT

This article examines the practices, policies and politics of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) governance of entertainment celebrities from 2005 to 2020. We identify and critically analyse four principle governing approaches with related examples: ‘banning celebrities’, ‘governing through professional associations, laws and notices’, ‘platform governance’ and ‘co-opting stars’. We argue that celebrity governance should be understood within the broader framework of the CCP’s ‘cultural governance’ and encompasses two dimensions: ‘governance of celebrity’ and ‘governance through celebrity’. We conclude the increasing governance of this elite group has shaped the formation of a ‘neoliberal subjectivity’ with Chinese characteristics, which allows them to navigate the complex trade-off between the intertwined neoliberal market ideology and Party ideology in China’s cultural and entertainment industry. The article sheds vital light not only on the understanding of China’s celebrity and entertainment politics, but also on the logic, approach and politics of the CCP’s celebrity and cultural governance.

KEYWORDS:

• Celebrity governance
• cultural governance
• entertainment
• neoliberal subjectivity
• China

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. ‘Core socialist values’ were first defined at the 18th National Congress of the CCP in November 2012 and set up moral principles for nation, society and individuals to follow in the Xi era, including prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony, freedom, equality, justice, rule of law, patriotism, dedication, integrity and friendship (Du 2016).

2. The NRTA was formerly named the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT 2013–2018), and the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT 1998–2013). Under the direct leadership of the State Council, its main tasks are to administrate and supervise China’s television and radio industries.

3. Disseminating ‘positive energy’ is a political slogan widely promoted under Xi’s administration. It is frequently adopted into Chinese political discourse and aims to build consensus among Chinese people to spread hope and optimism, love the country, Party, society, people and life, with an emphasis on individual’s uplifting attitude, social responsibility and morality.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jian Xu

Jian Xu is a Senior Lecturer in Communication at Deakin University, Australia. He researches Chinese media and communication with a particular focus on digital media culture and politics. He is the author of Media Events in Web 2.0 China (2016) and co-editor of Chinese Social Media: Social, Cultural and Political Implications (2018).

Ling Yang

Ling Yang is Associate Professor of Chinese at Xiamen University, P. R. China. She has published extensively on Chinese celebrity and media fandom. She is the co-editor of Boys’ Love, Cosplay, and Androgynous Idols: Queer Fan Cultures in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (Hong Kong University Press, 2017).