Misleading radio, TV ads banned  By Zhu Zhe (China Daily)  Updated: 2006-07-21 05:55  
More than 1,000 people have also expressed support for the ban on Sina.com, 
one of China's largest websites. 
 Large TV shopping firms such as the Shanghai Seven Star TV Shopping Company 
said the ban would better regulate the market and benefit the industry in the 
long run. 
 "We'll suffer a loss of about 20 per cent in business, and a large number of 
small companies may face shutdown," a sales manager of the company said. "But we 
consider the policy positive for a healthy TV shopping industry." 
 Advertisement rates may be up to 5,000 yuan (US$625) per minute for such 
commercials, which last anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, he said. 
 At about 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 18 of the country's 53 TV channels were 
broadcasting such commercials, according to a report by The First, a daily 
newspaper in Beijing. 
 However, Zhu Changhao, vice-chairman of the China Association of 
Pharmaceutical Commerce, urged the governing bodies to issue harsh punishments 
for any violations. 
 "Otherwise, I'm not optimistic about the result of the ban," he 
said.   
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