NEW measures to crack down on fake or misleading advertisements are ineffective, according to Chinese advertising industry executives.
The State Administration of Industry and Commerce, which oversees the advertising industry, announced plans yesterday to establish a centralised agency to screen all print, radio and television commercials.
Furthermore, from October 1, magazines and radio and television stations will not be allowed to directly engage in advertising but will have to go through advertising agencies, which will be subject to tight controls, the China Daily said yesterday.
The new regulations were designed to break the media's hold on the advertising industry, which had prevented any effective regulations and led to a flood of misleading advertising, the official English-language newspaper said.
Television and radio stations usually have lavishly funded advertising departments which contract, produce and publish commercials without external supervision.
Despite the apparent threat to their business, television advertising executives were not concerned by the widely expected announcement.
''We already contract a lot of work out to smaller advertising companies,'' said a senior executive at a major provincial television station.