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Sources close to state TV network CCTV say they are awaiting official word about whether the Academy Awards ceremony will be aired in China as usual, while local media outlets have been instructed to play down coverage and avoid any live broadcasting.
The Oscar for best documentary short tends to be somewhat overlooked amid the glitz and glamour of the Academy Awards ceremony. But the underappreciated category is fast becoming a major sticking point in China this year.
Beijing's media regulators told local press outlets not to broadcast live coverage of the Oscars ceremony and to play down their reporting of the event overall, according to sources familiar with the directive. The tamping down on the Oscars, which have a wide following among Chinese movie buffs, is believed to be a response to the nomination of the short documentary