A new regulation that will limit the astronomical payments of Chinese film and TV stars is said to be issued in December by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), according to several leading online portals including NetEase, Xinhua.net.

The move, which comes in the wake of drug and other scandals involving well-known entertainment stars, was first disclosed early last week by Entertainment on Call, a WeChat portal that has proved reliable in previous reports.

While some people think it’s most likely a rumor because the SARFT administrates broadcasting platforms, not individuals, many hope this well-intentioned “policy” will help regulate the current entertainment industry and dampen the fever of Chinese youngsters who want to become stars.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students from all over China begin a kind of stardom mania at China’s most prestigious art schools, such as the Beijing Film Academy and Shanghai Theater Academy. Several thousand students will compete for 30 to 50 spots in the hottest acting department. The star wannabes regard the performing arts major a golden chance for quick fame and high salary.

Preparation to next year’s enrollment has already started at Shanghai Theater Academy, although the official examination falls in March 2015.

Four years ago, A-list stars earned 150,000-300,000 yuan (US$25,000-50,000) per episode for a TV series. In 2012, the price went up to 500,000 yuan. Now, it rocked to 900,000 yuan.

Today it is very common for a famed Chinese actor to earn several dozen million yuan for a TV series. This usually accounts for more than half of the total investment. Many domestic series must make corresponding cuts in other key areas — such as script, setting, costume and cinematography — to control the budget. The resulting lack of originality and artistry has pushed a lot of Chinese TV fans to foreign dramas.

The salary cutdown won’t be SARFT’s first move, as China’s media regulator has already begun a more strict supervision over the entertainment industry. Earlier this year, the SARFT banned stars with “bad moral records” from TV and films. Domestic TV stations have been warned not to broadcast any TV dramas, movies and variety shows featuring stars with bad records.

More big names in the entertainment industry recently have been caught taking drugs or paying for sex, including Jaycee Chan, son of Hong Kong kung fu star Jackie Chan, award-winning actor Huang Haibo and Golden Bear-winning Chinese director Wang Quan’an.

The warning has pushed leading Chinese film and TV companies to think twice before signing a celebrity. Many are now including a clause that requires the star to compensate the company for any losses that stem from his or her moral or legal problems.

Taiwan heartthrob Ko Chen-tung has been cut out of the next installment of the popular “Tiny Times” film franchise after he was arrested for drug possession. And Ko’s new film, “A Choo,” will not be screened on China’s mainland.

The new TV series of Huang Haibo, “A Desperate Love,” has also been removed from the purchasing plan of Chinese TV stations.

Tian Jin, deputy director of the SARFT, recently told media that entertainment celebrities, as public figures, must take their social responsibility to set a good example for the audience, especially the youngsters.

“Those who have criminal records and moral scandals will be banned from the screen,” Tian said. “Otherwise, it will ruin the film and TV industry in the long run.”

Registration for the acting department of local art schools will begin in about three months. Moral evaluation is expected to be incorporated into the selection process, and morality classes will be added to the curriculum.

Zhang Shengquan, an official from the Shanghai Theater Academy, foresees competition that will be as tough as ever with only about 50 places in the academy’s acting department.

“In response to the SARFT’s new regulation, we are also considering including students’ moral records into our evaluation,” Zhang said. “The students will face a greater challenge in addition to their image, wit, passion and acting skills. Besides, moral and law courses are also launched in the curriculum.”

Zhao Bingxiang, dean of Shanghai’s Xie Jin Film and Television Art College, notes that studying in a prestigious acting department doesn’t guarantee quick success and fame.

He says that every year only about one-third of the graduates become actors. Many others will move into acting-related careers. Even for those who get acting careers, many will remain unknown for years.

“Our evaluation begins when the candidates are lining up outside the examination room,” Zhao says. “Through observing their behaviors, the examiners can tell if the students are of good nature. Additionally, all the students need to give an impromptu speech, and it reveals their manners and cultural deposits.”

Industry insiders also expect the
new SARFT rules to have an influence on the nation’s talent shows, which might set higher thresholds and standards for its winners.

An official from Shanghai’s Dragon TV, which is presenting the second season of “Chinese Idol,” tells Shanghai Daily that morality is always an important factor in selecting and judging a contestant, no matter how stunning his or her talent on stage may be.

The recent high-profile celebrity arrests show that a star won’t go far in his or her career without professional ethics, the official says.

Professor Wu Gang, a TV and film expert from East China Normal University, says although celebrities live under the spotlight, the fame can be gone in just one night.

But in his eyes, vanity retains a strong appeal to the young generation, and their enthusiasm will last for years.

“People look up and admire stars, but now they should know more about the risk and uncertainty of the ‘lucrative career,” Wu says. “Only a few can survive the competition. Most of them can’t afford a mistake in life because they are public figures. It is the cruelty of the profession.”

Online comments:

“IT doesn’t make any sense if an actor’s payment exceeds half of a production’s total investment. Compared with the fame of an actor, script is far more important in a film or TV drama. Banning stars with bad moral records, in my opinion, is very necessary. It can earn back the public’s trust of the industry.”

— Alex Huang

“I don’t think the regulation can make a big difference to our lives. I don’t care how much they earn.”

— Echo Wei

“Regulation of the stars’ payment was applied in South Korea during the economic slowdown. In the long run, it is a good approach to mobilize the creation of original script. But it is not easy to be put into practice.”

— Clownfish

“It is very neccessary to punish the stars with bad moral and criminal records. But I think the punishment should not be for good. If the star sincerely makes up for his fault, he deserves a second chance.”

— Neo

“It is urgent to regulate the entertainment industry. Celebrities who did wrong things will have a much bigger influence on young people. I think the bad moral records should also include extramarital affairs.”

— Golden Age