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)