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TV stations should also be accountable

By Qin Zhongwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-24 10:14

I used to believe TV commercials featuring celebrities and although I didn't always buy their merchandise, I did usually form a good impression of the companies after seeing them on TV.

But when former CCTV host Zhao Zhongxiang apologized for appearing in a fake medicine advertisement last week, I realized I had been wrong. There is no doubt that some celebrities have immorally lifted the quality of the products. They praise the effects of products with beautiful words and encourage consumers to buy. The truth is, though, they often haven't ever used them.

It is now easy to understand why so many people single out celebrities and lash out at them. But I would like to add that TV stations should also be held responsible for their promotions.

Most people in my hometown seldom question the credibility of TV stations, because TV is their most important source of information. When they pick a product over the other choices, it is usually because of one simple reason - it was on TV.

TV stations should cherish their impact on the general public. In most cases, however, they just cherish their own economic interests. That's why we see exaggerated TV commercials on nearly every channel, boasting the incredible effects of slimming creams, breast enlargement medicine, and all-in-one mobile phones.

Even more deceptive is that some unlicensed medicine commercials are filmed in the same style as popular health programs, using a famous TV host to invite scholars for a chat about the disease and a chance to promote whichever medicine they represent. I doubt some TV stations have even hired out their studios for the occasion. This trickery is misleading to the public, especially those who are elderly or poorly educated.

As the public demands laws to supervise the behaviors of these celebrities, I think equivalent regulations on TV stations are also needed.

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