Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Chinese fans of US TV series discovered recently that The Big Bang Theory and some other popular TV shows had been taken down from major video streaming websites. Visitors to the websites are greeted with a written apology saying "We're sorry for being unable to provide video services now due to policy reasons."

The sudden disappearance of The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, NCIS and The Practice, the first two in particular exerted enormous influence upon avid audience and attracted a great number of die-hard fans.

For those following the trends of the domestic film and television market, this is not surprising news.

As early as in March, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) issued a notice to strengthen the management of Internet video and audio programs including web dramas and microcinema. As well as mini-series made by websites, the US and UK TV series that many sites have competed to purchase will also face tighter censorship.

According to the notice, imported series must be examined before being broadcast and programs that get approval should be filed to local provincial-level administrations of radio, film and television.

For those who violate the regulation, the authorities will impose penalties of warning, instructions and fine in line with the regulation on the administration of visual and audio program on the Internet.

Currently, US TV series are the most influential with the highest average production costs in the world. They have swiftly gained favor with the Chinese audience especially urban residents.

However, owing to a lack of due supervision and control by domestic film and television regulators, they are sometimes inundated with plots of scandal, violence and bloodiness, which are inappropriate for adolescents.

This phenomenon has long been an area of neglect in the past, but with an increasing number of video websites purchasing more foreign dramas, some plots have begun to have a negative impact on adolescents and the baleful role has gradually become more pronounced.

Therefore, strengthening supervision over imported series has become an indispensable choice of the regulators concerned.

According to the analysis of foreign media outlets, this as yet officially unconfirmed change in policy will affect around 80 percent of US TV series and many more will likely be taken down from the Internet.

Besides examining the content of online plays and "decontaminating" videos, broadcast regulators probably have deeper considerations.

Not long ago, quite a few people engaged in the film and television industry were complaining that domestic dramas had to face stringent examination while foreign films or TV plays did not have to undergo such tough procedures. This unfair competition made homemade movies and TV dramas lose at the starting line.

As no rating system has ever been introduced for China's film and television industry, the multiple-criteria censorship and licensing system will affect the performance of domestic series to a large extent. Consequently many suggest that imported series should be examined to the same standard.

The removal of US TV series from video streaming websites is being done for the sake of physical and psychological health of adolescents as well as protecting the weak film and television industry within China.

Policy leverage is adopted to adjust the development trend of China's entertainment market and support domestic films and TV plays.

The author is a TV and film critic based in Beijing. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn