China ordered local media to cancel live broadcasts of next month’s Oscars ceremony and to play down coverage of the event after a documentary on …
China ordered local media to cancel live broadcasts of next month’s Oscars ceremony and to play down coverage of the event after a documentary on the Hong Kong protests was nominated for an award, according to a new report. The Communist Party’s propaganda department issued the order to all media outlets, Bloomberg reported, citing anonymous sources. Outlets were told that coverage of the 93rd Academy Awards, which will air April 25, should focus on awards that aren’t seen as controversial. The order was also reported by other media including Radio Free Asia and Hong Kong’s Apple Daily late Tuesday. The information office of China’s State Council didn’t respond to requests seeking comment. At the center of the mandate is “Do Not Split,” a film nominated for best short documentary, which chronicles the anti-Beijing demonstrations that took place in Hong Kong in mid-2019, as well as China’s growing power and influence in the former British territory.
