In bold move, China's Ministry of Culture has set new rules for music sold online, acording to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
The rules require music sites to seek approval from censors for all foreign songs they distribute.
The new rules also affect music providers such as Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU).
These rules are meant to control the internet content in China, which has 338 million users. China already censors imported movies and books, and it vets site links for foreign brand play concerts.
The Ministry's rules affect websites addressing programs such as "the intermingling of good and bad content" and "the large quantity of imported music without approval."
The rules also state that online music distributors will be required to provide written lyrics for each song translated into Chinese and documents to prove they are not infringing on intellectual property rights.
The rules also apply to search services such as Baidu and Yahoo China that provide links to music rather than hosting them. The rules state that "music search must be linked music."
Anyone wishing to provide music downloads must apply for an Internet Culture License.
All music must be submitted to the Ministry of Culture by the end of the year.
Obviously groups representing record labels applaud China's tougher action. The International Federation of Phonographic Industry reported the sales in China are $82 million with 99% of the music unlicensed.
Do you believe that these rules can be enforced successfully?
Will JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon be our next Treasury Secretary?
Gold surges to another new high of $1167 per ounce
Cramer on BloggingStocks: Sanofi has lots of upside catalysts 
Add your comments