‘Housewives’ set to debut on Chinese television

By Jeffrey Goldfarb

LONDON (Reuters) – The TV sensation “Desperate Housewives”
will be shown in China starting on Monday in a departure for a
country where the government typically keeps racy and
politically sensitive material off the air.

The hit U.S. show, a wry and steamy saga centered on four
suburban women, will be dubbed into Mandarin and shown as three
back-to-back episodes a night on state-run CCTV8, Walt Disney
Co.’s international distribution arm said on Thursday.

The dark comedy from Disney’s ABC network, which was the
top-rated new show on U.S. television last season and garnered
an Emmy Award for one of the show’s stars, will have to compete
with pirated DVD versions of the series that have been sold on
Chinese street corners for less than $4.

It has already been taken to 202 other territories and was
a top-ranked show in Australia, Singapore and Britain.

“Desperate Housewives has been breaking records around the
world and we are sure it will be a hit with Chinese viewers,”
said Steve Macallister, senior vice president and managing
director of Buena Vista International Television-Asia Pacific.

The Chinese government usually maintains a vice-like grip
over the media, but it has relaxed its attitude in recent
years.

In 2003, Beijing Television launched “Pink Ladies,” which
was marketed as China’s answer to HBO’s “Sex and the City,” but
it was panned by critics and viewers for being prudish and dull
compared to the U.S. show.