China's broadcasting watchdog has banned 13 radio shows it deemed too pornographic from being broadcast by local radio stations in five central and southern provinces.

Provincial broadcast stations in Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guizhou and Hainan were said to have aired programs about "sex and drugs", according to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT).

A notice issued by SARFT on its website on September 13 said "the problem of the five broadcast stations is serious and those responsible will be dealt with".

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

The notice said the banned programs contained "extreme pornographic materials" and talked about sexual life and experiences, sexual organs and the efficiency of certain drugs.

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

The SARFT said it will establish a hotline in the 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.

Earlier this year, SARFT warned broadcasters against seeking ratings by catering to "the low-grade interests of a minority" by relying on vulgar programs.

Those stations that failed to monitor the quality of programs would face severe penalties, said the administration.

SARFT deputy director Zhang Haitao defined "vulgar programs" as those with contents depicting violence, pornography, crime and horror.

The SARFT said healthy programs should be excellent in both "ideological content" and artistic quality.

(Xinhua News Agency September 16, 2007)