Rolling Stone hits regulatory wall
30 March 2006
After selling-out its first print run of 125,000 copies, the Chinese version of music magazine Rolling Stone has run into regulatory problems as the government said approval had not been granted for the tie-up with a local publisher. An official at China's press and publications administration said the cooperation agreement with Audiovisual World magazine has been halted for legal reasons, the Financial Times reported. According to government rules on foreign involvement in magazines, ownership and ultimate editorial control must remain in Chinese hands. Rolling Stone was effectively just a new version of the Audiovisual World publication as it was published under the Chinese magazine's license. It is believed that the comprehensive changes in design and content prompted concerns over the extent of the foreign party's involvement.