Beijing – Rolling Stone has hit a wall.
The rock-‘n’-roll publication entered the Chinese market early this month with a huge splash, including billboard advertisements, a 125,000-copy rollout and free Rolling Stone hats with each copy.
On Wednesday, regulators said they were shutting it down after one issue.
Articles in the first Chinese edition of Rolling Stone about a rock star associated with the Tiananmen protests and a blogger who wrote about her sex life pushed the limits of what is permissible.
China often depends on a patina of legality that allows companies or individuals to get things done while ensuring that those in power don’t lose face. Push things too far, however, and you risk a backlash.
“They didn’t go through the proper procedure,” said Chen Li, director of the newspaper and magazine department with the Shanghai Press and Publication Department, where the magazine was published.
