Following last year’s regulatory overhaul of China’s ultrashort drama industry, the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) on Wednesday issued new regulations mandating tiered content review and licensing for all productions, expanding government oversight of the billion-dollar sector.

The new rules formalize a three-tier review system, with high-budget productions or those covering politics, military affairs, diplomacy, or national security facing stricter national-level scrutiny.

The three-tier system is based on theme and investment, dividing them into “key micro-dramas” — 1 million yuan ($137,000) or more, “regular micro-dramas” (300,000 to 1 million yuan), and “other micro-dramas” (under 300,000 yuan).

Key and regular micro-dramas must be reviewed by provincial-level radio and television authorities before release. Smaller productions fall under the supervision of streaming platforms, which are responsible for content review, copyright compliance, and regular reporting to regulators.

Ultrashort dramas — fast-paced, mobile-first series with episodes often lasting just minutes — have become a cultural and economic force in China. According to an industry white paper, the sector surpassed 50.4 billion yuan ($6.9 billion) in 2024, exceeding the country’s film box office revenue for the first time. By June, there were 576 million micro-drama watchers, accounting for 52.4% of China’s total internet population.

Driven by bite-sized storytelling and aggressive digital marketing, the format has also gained traction internationally, with Chinese platforms leading micro-drama markets in Japan, Southeast Asia, and the U.S.

Authorities say the new system aims to improve content quality, reduce excessive commercialization, and streamline oversight. Officials have raised concerns over low-budget productions prioritizing clickbait storytelling over artistic value, while platforms face mounting pressure to regulate content.

By formalizing a tiered review system, regulators hope to enforce stricter standards on high-budget and sensitive dramas while allowing greater flexibility for smaller productions.

Under the new system, streaming platforms must enforce stricter compliance measures, ensuring that all micro-dramas display a government-issued license number before release. The NRTA has also introduced a “white list” system barring unlicensed content from being promoted or monetized.

Authorities say the measures aim to curb the spread of low-quality productions and prevent platforms from profiting off unapproved content. Violators face removal, fines, and potential blacklisting, further tightening control over the rapidly expanding industry.

Feng Shengyong, director of the NRTA’s Network Audiovisual Program Management Department, said the ultrashort drama industry faces mounting challenges, including content homogenization, inconsistent quality, and the growing tension between commercialization and artistic value.

Speaking to Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper, he emphasized that stricter oversight is necessary to ensure healthy industry growth while maintaining creative standards.

“The quality of micro-dramas on the market varies, with some focusing on click rates and entertainment rather than depth and artistic value,” he said. “Balancing quality, audience preferences, and market demands remains a key issue for the industry.”

Feng also stressed the need for streaming platforms to enforce stricter content review measures this year to ensure healthy, high-quality productions and curb the spread of low-quality and vulgar content.

Editor: Apurva.

(Header image: An ultrashort drama crew on set in Zhengzhou, Henan province, 2023. VCG)