China Cracks Down on Dating Shows

Here in the U.S., dating shows like the Bachelorette dominate TV ratings and magazine covers. The craze hit China as well—but the government soon stepped in to decry the shows:

Late last May, central government propaganda officials issued a directive calling the shows "vulgar" and faulting them for promoting materialism, openly discussing sexual matters and "making up false stories, thus hurting the credibility of the media."

So the dating show, and others like it, got a makeover. Gone are fast cars, luxury apartments and boasts of flush bank accounts. Now the contestants entice each other with tales of civic service and promises of good relations with future mothers-in-law. One show now uses a professor from the local Communist Party school as a judge.

Read the full story at the New York Times.