Media outlets face closure over false ads: watchdogs
- Source: Global Times
- [01:50 February 21 2010]
- Comments
By Huang Jingjing
Media outlets that publish or broadcast false advertisements, including health products that promise better sexual performance, could be forced out of business, a State media report published Saturday said.
A total of 12 ministries and administrations including the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Health and the Central Administration of Press and Publications recently disclosed a special campaign to counter false and misleading medical advertisements, People's Daily reported Saturday.
The local administration of radio, film and television will revoke the licenses of severe violators and pull the plug on channels that allow false advertisements. The persons in charge will also be punished, according to the new rules.
False advertisements were banned as part of the Advertisement Law enacted in 1995. It stipulated that the media must not publish advertisements without complete approval licenses or those with pornography, superstition and violence.
The profits generated from the advertisements will be seized and violators will be penalized financially.
Advertisements that promote certain cures for medical problems and sexual problems remain common.
"About 70 percent of the advertisements on healthcare products and medical devices are illegal with misleading information," Tang Gang, deputy director of the advertising department at Fujian Education Television, told the Global Times Saturday.
"Advertisements for medical devices are common on county-level television, and are the major resource for the stations," he said.
On February 8, the Professional Committee of Media Shopping, China General Chamber of Commerce, said that 25 advertisements, including several featuring celebrities, are illegal.
A healthcare product named Etarn and promoted by CCTV anchor Wang Yang and the singer Zhou Yanhong is on the list.
It promises women who use it could appear 10 years younger.
