The deputy director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Zhao Shi, announced on Saturday that films and teleplays depicting violence and murder will be banned during prime time TV. A circular along those lines is expected to be issued soon.

He also pointed out that programs suitable for a young audience will be shown.

Such a move is worthy of applause. It will help clean up TV and offer a sound viewing environment for the country's huge audience - especially younger viewers.

Uncensored violence on our TV screens, as well as in other media, has long been a problem producing ill effects on Chinese society.

Although there may not be conclusive scientific evidence of a cause-effect relationship, ample anecdotal evidence points to a correlation between exposure to violence and possible copy-cat behavior.

And children are easily influenced.

It is not unusual to hear reports that young people have imitated scenes from movies.

From the world-renowned incident at Columbine High School, when two gun-toting students went on a rampage in 1999, killing 12 fellow students and a teacher before turning the weapons on themselves, to the recent case in China when Ma Jiajue, a college student, killed four of his roommates, we have to admit there is an increasing tendency for youth violence.

The Chinese authorities are now carrying out measures to improve the situation, forbidding all TV stations from broadcasting programs with violence and murder scenes during prime time. This will certainly help reduce exposure to negative influences.

But there is much more we can do.

Besides violence, explicit sex scenes and other content featuring criminal behavior that is not suitable for children should also be excluded from prime viewing.

A TV and movie rating system should be established.

Over the years, Chinese films have been put into categories according to their subject matter, such as rural, military, industry or urban themes.

On March 1, 1989, the former administration of the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television issued a circular on the examination and rating of films. It specified four types of movies as "unsuitable for child audiences." But it did not work very well in practice.

Nowadays, experts are advocating a film promotion law to legislate the system.

While working on such a rating system for movies, we could also consider a code for TV, assisting parents when choosing what their children should watch.

Laws have to be drawn up to protect minors and young audience members.

It is vital that local TV stations follow the administration's order and implement the requirement, strengthening supervision at local levels.

What's more, the production of movies and TV programs especially for children should be supported, to ensure that our youth have suitable viewing options.

(China Daily April 21, 2004)