NBA playoffs disappear from TV in China

5/28/2008 10:30 AM

By STEPHEN WADE
AP Sports Writer

BEIJING (AP) -NBA playoff games have mysteriously disappeared from Chinese television.

Entertainment programs on Chinese television were suspended last week during a three-day period of mourning for victims of the deadly Sichuan earthquake, including NBA playoff games.

When the mourning period ended, the NBA playoffs returned as the state-run national broadcaster CCTV showed the Western Conference final between the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. However, subsequent games have not been shown.

``We have followed orders and stopped the NBA broadcast,'' Jiang Heping, director for CCTV's sport channel, said in Wednesday editions of the Shanghai-based Oriental Sports Daily. ``Since the May 12 earthquake, we're careful about the way we broadcast the NBA and the content must match the whole atmosphere.''

However, concerns about sports programming following the earthquake did not prevent CCTV's sports channel from showing women's soccer and highlights of track, women's basketball and French Open tennis.

The NBA's office in China offered only a brief statement from NBA China's chief executive officer Tim Chen.

``We are working closely with CCTV to ensure that NBA games and content are appropriate for China and to begin broadcasting as soon as possible,'' Chen said.

NBA basketball is popular in China, although interest has dropped off without the top two Chinese players - Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian - involved in the playoffs. The injured Yao plays for the Houston Rockets and Yi plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.