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Media & Entertainment

Tencent and iQIYI's pop idol shows face clampdown by Beijing

Government plans to curb obsessive fans and 'money worshipping'

A poster for an episode of iQIYI's "Youth with You 3." The idol trainee survival show has billions of views. (Photo from Twitter)   © Screenshot by Marrian Zhou

NEW YORK -- China's wildly popular music idol talent shows are facing a government crackdown, after rampant commercialism and the extreme behavior of fans attracted the attention of the authorities.

The competitions, where about 100 young contestants compete for a spot in a new pop group, have generated generous profits for their backers, including streaming giants Tencent and iQIYI.

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