SARFT Announces New TV Shopping Regulations
Beijing Business Today, 12/16/09
China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has released new regulation on TV shopping channels, stating that beginning January 10, 2010, any analog, digital or premium TV channels that have not registered and received approval to offer TV shopping content, whether as a specialized shopping channel or during select hours, will be prohibited from broadcasting any TV shopping programs.
The regulation states that any TV broadcasting entities meeting SARFT's criteria may be allowed, with some adjustments, to maintain one new shopping channel based on their existing shopping channel. Any TV broadcasters that have not already established a shopping channel may elect to allot a segment of time on an existing channel to broadcast approved TV shopping programming not to exceed 5 hours in length; however the programming may not be broadcast on general-interest, news, science, education, youth, animation, agricultural, or international channels, and may not appear between the hours of 7 pm and 9 pm.
TV shopping channels and programming time slots may not include any advertising, including short infomercials. Programming broadcast during approved and registered TV shopping time slots must clearly display the word "Shopping" in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen. While special TV shopping time slots will not be counted towards the channel's total allowed advertising time, the channel may not broadcast any additional short infomercials at any other times of the day.
SARFT also emphasized that the TV stations must strictly maintain control over operation of the TV shopping programs. The regulation states that, in their cooperation with commercial entities, broadcasting entities may not exchange shopping channel resources in return for equity or other forms of cooperation, and may not levy fees for content review, broadcast, or use of broadcast time, nor may broadcasters lease or transfer use of their shopping channel resources. Cooperating commercial entities may participate in operation and management of shopping companies, but may not become involved in the channel's editorial and broadcasting process.
Keywords: TV advertising regulation television SARFT TV shopping channel
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