The State Administration of Film, Radio and Television (SAFRT) switched off 13 radio sex talk shows in five central and south China's provinces recently, according to SAFRT's website.

According to the notice issued by SAFRT on September 13, 11 sex explicit talk shows broadcast by provincial broadcast stations in Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guizhou and Hainan were suspended for their pornographic nature.

The notice said "the problem of the five broadcast stations is serious and those responsible will be dealt with".

On September 5, the SAFRT banned another daily talk shows broadcast by Sichuan Provincial People's Broadcast Station and Chengdu Municipal People's Broadcast Station for the same problems.

The notice said the banned programs dealt with material of an "extreme pornographic nature" and talked about sex lives, sexual experiences, sex organs and the efficacy of certain drugs for sex.

Local broadcasters must draw lessons from these cases and improve their social responsibility and professional ethics, said the notice.

The SAFRT said it will establish a hotline in near future for the public to report vulgar programs they discover.

The broadcasting watchdog recently suspended a series of vulgar programs.

On August 17, the administration banned a talent show called the First Heartthrob, aired by Chongqing TV Station, due to vulgar content.

On August 24, A Date With Beauty, aired by Guangdong TV was criticized for its "bloody" and "vulgar" content. The Administration then banned all television shows involving plastic and transsexual surgery.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2007)