限童令 (xiàn tóng lìng): Restrictions on programs for minors

The National Radio and Television Administration recently released a draft regulation on programs related to minors to solicit public opinions. In order to better protect children from harmful influences, the document proposes programs for kids should not be too commercialized or adult like.

Minors are immature and lack the ability to distinguish right from wrong, so they are easily misled and even blindly imitate and pursue what they see in programs on television and other media.

These measures not only reflect the continuous deepening of the regulators' understanding of the influence of TV programs on minors, but also reflect the development of the times, the progress of the media, and the impact of the cultural environment on minors.

It is expected the new regulation will create a good entertainment environment for the healthy development of the minors through regulating the production and broadcast of programs related to children.

In addition, the administration should improve the review, inspection and complaint mechanisms for children's programs, in order to actively and dynamically regulate and supervise the production and broadcast of programs for minors.