China's broadcasting administrators issued a notice on July 30,
requesting that all local broadcasting stations in the country
critique and censor any and all off color commercials, including
those with sexual innuendos.
The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT)
criticized several local broadcasters, stating that they are still
illicitly running ads for financial gain only.
The SARFT said that some broadcasters have ignored previously
issued regulations, thus besmirching the entire broadcasting
reputation and lowering public credibility.
The notice categorized four kinds of ongoing violations. The
first category monitored the broadcasting of dubious commercials
promoting fake medical equipment, unapproved medicines, and scam
aphrodisiacs. Additionally, for the first time SARFT asked
broadcasters to ban commercials laced with sexual innuendoes.
The second category covered broadcasting TV series and movies.
During shows and films many broadcasters often insert too many
commercials, some of which are even tediously stretched out. The
notice cited an example of one TV station that had inserted
commercials eight times during a single movie's showing. Some of
these commercials had running times up to 20 minutes.
The third category inspected how some broadcasters employed
tricks inserting commercials in various positions; rolling titles,
screen corners, garbage TV-sent text messages and voice over
services.
The fourth category examined how some broadcasters rebroadcast
other TV-stations' programs while dubbing their own commercials
without approval.
The announcement ordered all broadcasters to ban blacklisted
commercials, to correct the irregular ads and to insert legal
rights and regulations. Local broadcasters are urged to
independently examine their output and to report possible problems
and solutions to their higher ups before August 15. Next, these
provincial level broadcasting administrations should report their
administrative findings to SARFT before August 20.
The notice stated that state administrators shall take punitive
actions toward those who refuse to make amendments and toward those
who have committed very serious violations contradicting by laws
and regulations previously circulated. Also, broadcasters who
disregard warnings to suspend commercials on their TV channels will
be disciplined. Broadcasting executives will be held more
responsible to the public. Punitive results will also be open to
the public.
This announcement is designed to create a healthy environment
for society.
Two provincial-level TV channels have been ordered to suspend
all commercials as punishment for repeatedly screening banned
medical advertisements in June. This is the gravest measure taken
by the SARFT since new regulations came into force last August. At
that time the policy banned television and radio commercials for a
list of fake consumer goods: medicines, medical equipment, weight
loss, breast enlargement and other beauty products and
treatments.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, August 2, 2007)