Hotspot・Analysis

Micro-short Dramas:From Unregulated Growth to Legal Protection,"Plus"Brings Infinite Possibilities!

From January 3rd to 4th,2025,the 2025 National Radio and Television Work Conference was held in Beijing.The conference sent out important signals regarding the development of micro-short dramas,planning to improve the management of audio-visual content of program categories and formulate the"Measures for the Management of Micro-short Dramas".At the same time,the General Office of the National Radio and Television Administration issued a notice on implementing the"Micro-short Drama+"Action Plan to empower various industries.These measures have caused a stir in the field of micro-short dramas and attracted widespread attention.

As a new emerging force in online audio-visual,micro-short dramas,with their characteristics of being short and concise and having rich themes,have quickly won the hearts of a large number of audiences.It not only provides a new platform for creators to showcase their talents but also brings convenient and diverse audio-visual enjoyment to the public,becoming a new growth point in online audio-visual.However,with the rapid expansion of the micro-short drama market,some problems have gradually emerged.The content of some micro-short dramas is vulgar,the values are distorted,and there are even illegal acts such as infringement.These not only affect the viewing experience of the audience but also have an impact on the healthy development of the entire industry.

Against this backdrop,it is very timely for the National Radio and Television Administration to formulate the"Measures for the Management of Micro-short Dramas".The introduction of these measures is a powerful regulation of the market order.It will set clear legal boundaries for all aspects of the creation,production,and dissemination of micro-short dramas,enabling the micro-short drama industry to bid farewell to unregulated growth and enter the track of the rule of law.Through strict content review,it ensures that micro-short dramas convey positive values,meet the requirements of social public order,good customs,and laws and regulations,and protect the physical and mental health of the general audience,especially teenagers.

And implementing the"Micro-short Drama+"Action Plan is an important measure to promote the high-quality development of micro-short dramas on the basis of standardization.It is proposed that in 2025,the National Radio and Television Administration will deeply organize and implement the"Traveling with Micro-short Dramas"creation plan;continue to promote the"Learning Law with Micro-short Dramas"and"Viewing Brands in Micro-short Dramas"creation plans;launch creation plans such as"Learning Classics with Micro-short Dramas","Popularizing Science with Micro-short Dramas",and"Viewing Intangible Cultural Heritage in Micro-short Dramas".In the segmented fields,about 300 key micro-short dramas with leading roles and innovative values will be launched,and a number of high-quality micro-short dramas with profound thoughts,exquisite artistry,and excellent production will be created.

For creators,the"Measures for the Management of Micro-short Dramas"is not only a constraint but also an opportunity.On the one hand,creators must strictly abide by laws and regulations to ensure that the content of their works is legal and compliant.On the other hand,a standardized market environment will create better conditions for excellent works to stand out.Creators can focus more on content innovation and quality improvement and gain market recognition with high-quality works.

The"Micro-short Drama+"Action Plan,on the one hand,provides clear directions and support for creators,which helps to stimulate creative vitality and promote the emergence of more high-quality works with profound thoughts,exquisite artistry,and excellent production in the micro-short drama industry.On the other hand,it also provides more business cooperation opportunities for creators.By cooperating with fields such as tourism,law,classic culture,brands,and intangible cultural heritage,micro-short drama enterprises can expand their profit channels and achieve a win-win situation of economic and social benefits.

A series of measures taken by the National Radio and Television Administration in the field of micro-short dramas is a vivid practice of parallel standardization and development.By formulating management measures,a legal foundation is laid for the micro-short drama industry;by implementing creation plans,the high-quality development of micro-short dramas is promoted.It is believed that with the protection of the rule of law,micro-short dramas will present a healthier and more positive attitude,bring more high-quality audio-visual feasts to the vast audience,and at the same time play a greater role in social education,cultural dissemination,and other aspects.

Industry·New Policies

Notice of the National Radio and Television Administration on Further Coordinating Development and Security and Promoting the Healthy and Prosperous Development of the Online Micro-short Drama Industry(Guangdian Ban Fa[2024]No.35)

On February 5th,2025,the General Office of the National Radio and Television Administration issued the"Notice on Further Coordinating Development and Security and Promoting the Healthy and Prosperous Development of the Online Micro-short Drama Industry"(Guangdian Ban Fa[2024]No.35).This notice puts forward clear requirements for the content creation,dissemination order,and development of the industry ecosystem of online micro-short dramas.Continuing the previous regulatory ideas,it further requires the"classification and hierarchical review"system,the white list system,etc.Among them:

1.Implement the"classification and hierarchical review"system to improve administrative efficiency.According to the actual development of the micro-short drama industry,in accordance with the principles of classified supervision and key supervision of domestic online drama works,micro-short dramas are reviewed and managed in three categories and three levels.Differentiated and precise management is used to optimize the review process and improve the review efficiency."Key micro-short dramas"(meeting one of the following conditions:conforming to special themes,with a total investment of 1 million yuan or more,being the main promotion in the investment invitation of long and short video platforms,or being recommended for broadcast on the front page and first screen of various terminals,or voluntarily applying as key micro-short dramas),and"ordinary micro-short dramas"(with a total investment between 300,000 yuan(inclusive)and 1 million yuan and not being key recommended)should all be reported to the radio and television authorities at or above the provincial level for planning record-filing and finished film review.The planning record-filing of"key micro-short dramas"is uniformly managed by the National Radio and Television Administration for record-filing and public announcement.For"other micro-short dramas"(with a total investment of less than 300,000 yuan and not being key recommended),the online audio-visual platforms that broadcast or provide traffic drainage and push for them shall perform the duties of content management,be responsible for content review and copyright verification,and regularly report the information of the reviewed dramas to the radio and television authorities at the provincial level in the place of jurisdiction for record-filing.

For micro-short dramas that are planned to be recommended for broadcast on the front page and first screen of the platform,the National Radio and Television Administration will conduct a recheck of the completed films.For micro-short dramas on major themes or involving special themes such as politics,military affairs,diplomacy,national security,united front work,ethnicity,religion,justice,and public security,the review requirements shall be implemented in accordance with the relevant joint review work mechanism.The producers,traffic promotion parties,promotion platforms,and broadcasting platforms of micro-short dramas shall all be responsible for reviewing and checking the promotional content they produce or release.

2.Implement the"white list"system to standardize the dissemination order.All micro-short dramas broadcast,or with traffic drainage and push provided by online audio-visual platforms,mini-programs,traffic promotion parties,etc.must hold a"Network Drama and Film Distribution License"or complete the corresponding online filing and registration procedures.Before the program is launched,the number of the"Network Drama and Film Distribution License"or the program registration and record-filing number shall be marked in the title sequence according to the corresponding format requirements."Key micro-short dramas"must mark the unique license number of the program,in the format of:(abbreviation of the General Administration or the province where the place of jurisdiction is located)Net Micro Drama Review No.(year)No.xxx."Ordinary micro-short dramas"must mark the unique registration and record-filing number of the program,in the format of:(abbreviation of the General Administration or the province where the place of jurisdiction is located)Net Micro Drama Record No.(year)No.xxx."Other micro-short dramas"must mark the program record-filing number in an obvious position,in the format of:(abbreviation of the broadcasting platform)Net Micro Drama Record No.(year)No.xxx,and the abbreviation of the broadcasting platform should conform to the users'perception of the platform.For"other micro-short dramas"broadcast on multiple platforms,each platform shall mark the corresponding record-filing number according to its own reviewed version,and shall not use the record-filing number of other platforms.Online audio-visual platforms shall not launch and disseminate micro-short dramas that have not marked the license or record-filing number,nor provide traffic drainage and push for them.For micro-short dramas that were launched and broadcast without record-filing before the release of this notice,before May 31st,2024,each platform shall report information such as the program name,single episode duration,number of episodes,production institution,main creative personnel,content summary of more than 500 words,content review opinions,cost allocation ratio,and platform commitment letter to the radio and television authorities at the provincial level in the place of jurisdiction for record-filing.From June 1st,2024,micro-short dramas that have not been reviewed and record-filed shall not be disseminated on the Internet.

Regulations on the Management of Relevant Business Activities of Multi-channel Distribution Service Institutions of Network Information Content(Draft)of the Cyberspace Administration of China

In order to standardize the relevant business activities of Internet information content of MCN institutions,protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens,legal persons,and other organizations,and create a clean cyberspace,the Cyberspace Administration of China has drafted the above-mentioned draft.The deadline for feedback of opinions is February 9th,2025.

Regulations on the Management of Compliance Audits for Personal Information Protection of the Cyberspace Administration of China

The Cyberspace Administration of China recently announced the"Regulations on the Management of Compliance Audits for Personal Information Protection",aiming to provide systematic,targeted,and operable norms for personal information processors to carry out compliance audits for personal information protection,improve the level of legality and compliance of personal information processing activities,and protect personal information rights and interests.