State of Anxiety on Film, Radio, and Television (SARFT)

Guǎng Diàn zǒng jí 广电总急

(Source: Beijing Cream)

Play on the abbreviation for the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (Guǎng Diàn zǒng jú 广电总局), the administrative body that directly regulates state-owned media. The last character, 局 jú (bureau) becomes 急 jí (anxious) to jab at the agency’s role in sanitizing the media.

SARFT was merged with the General Administration of Press and Publications in 2013 to form the State Administration of Press, Publications, Radio, Film and Television, but the acronym SARFT is still used officially. In addition to regulating the content of broadcast media, the administration also plays a role in regulating Internet content.

Sample Usage:

胡泳: SARFT: Internet celebrities and scandalous personages prohibited from appearing as special guests on TV

广电总局：禁止网络红人、有丑闻劣迹的人物上电视做嘉宾

崔向红: The State of Anxiety on Film, Radio, and Television sure is busy. (May 18, 2014)

广电总急真忙 [Chinese]