Health shows scrutinized
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E-mail China Daily, October 31, 2014
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Chinese characters shown on a health TV show read "keeping fit". [China Daily] |
![Chinese characters shown on a health TV show read 'keeping fit'. [China Daily]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20141031/001ec949ff5c15bd2d3016.jpg "Chinese characters shown on a health TV show read 'keeping fit'. [China Daily]")
China's top media regulator has tightened control over health-related TV programs, in a bid to provide viewers with better scientific content.
Last month, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television said that such programs shown on TV must have only qualified doctors and medical experts to advise audiences on the prevention and treatment of diseases. The experts are also required to be certified by health authorities.
Celebrities are barred from hosting health shows.
A circular from the regulator prohibits companies, other than TV stations, from making health-related series, and asks TV stations with poor funding and lacking in expertise to refrain from making such programs.
The programs would need to be reviewed by authorities, and TV channels and production houses that are found to violate the new rules would be penalized.
Recently, health-related Chinese TV programs have become popular among audiences, and TV stations and production houses are suspected of making money from them, according to Chinese media reports.
More than 50 health-related programs are aired on satellite TV channels every week, with many more on local TV stations, media reports say.
In 2012 alone, 108 listed pharmaceutical companies invested about 6.88 billion yuan ($1.13 billion) in TV programs, with most of the money going to health shows, says Qq.com, a major Chinese website.
BTV's flagship show, Yang Sheng Tang (health classes), registered a high rating and earned more than 43.76 million yuan from advertisements in 2013, the same report adds.
The health programs often have one or more "experts" talking about disease control and remedies, typically in monologues or in conversation with TV anchors and guests who claim to be patients.
Topics vary from show to show, ranging from prevention and treatment of specific diseases, such as diabetes or heart ailments to general advice on how to stay healthy, usually delivered by so-called practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine.
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