China is stepping up censorship of foreign TV shows streamed online and has ordered leading video streaming websites to stop showing the popular shows 'The Big Bang Theory', 'The Good Wife','NCIS' and 'The Practice'.
The order has come down from the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television and the watchdog has not given any reason for the ruling, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The popular show 'The Blacklist' has also had episodes that criticised the Chinese government cut recently.
Earlier this month, SAPPRFT said it was planning to increase censorship of foreign content and warned that online companies such as Youku, Tencent and Sohu would have to closely vet content before making it available to stream.
Generally, the online streaming sites have operated with far more freedom to show edgy material such as 'The Walking Dead' and 'House of Cards' than the traditional media such as TV and cinema.
Movies like 'Skyfall', 'Titanic' and 'Men in Black 3' have all fallen foul of Chinese censorship laws in recent years.
