The variety show ‘Running Man’ charged local governments up to 19.8 million RMB for filming permits—e.g., 8.5 million in Jiangshan, Zhejiang, and 9.495 million in Xinchang. Critics question fiscal prudence and cultural resource commodification.

Social Context

Local governments increasingly leverage tourism-driven media production under the ‘Culture + Tourism’ national strategy, but expenditures require approval under the Budget Law and must align with performance audits. Recent MOF circulars caution against excessive spending on short-term promotional gains without ROI analysis.

Safety Tip

Citizens concerned about municipal spending should request budget execution reports via the local government’s open-data portal or 12345 citizen hotline.