Programs that hype hot social topics or scoff at national policies should be dealt with seriously, the deputy head of China's media watchdog said Sunday.

Tian Jin, deputy head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television stressed that programs spreading wrong or extreme opinions and deliberately sharpening conflicts will be halted and will receive serious punishment, according to a commentary he authored that was published in the People's Daily on Sunday.

Media should observe Party and publicity discipline and check the inclination to not follow regulations or the requirements of authorities, said Tian, adding that, "Diverse wrongful thoughts and malevolent voices should by no means be provided with channels for dissemination."

It is very common for the media - especially marketilized media - to question or criticize current policy, but this criticism should be objective, rational and constructive, rather than highly hyped up to cater to the public' s emotions, Luo Ting, director of the Phoenix School at the Communication University of China, told the Global Times on Sunday. By steadfastly sticking to Party regulations, media can make the public better understand the Party's decisions and policies and increase their influence on the public, Luo explained.

An employee of Dongguan Television Station in South China's Guangdong Province, who asked for anonymity, told the Global Times that their reports on policies and social events are required to be balanced and include both positive and negative aspects.

But she noted that commentary in the reports and programs should be restricted to a minimum to avoid hyping hot topics. Programs are not allowed to exaggerate or interpret events out of context in order to cater to public tastes, she said.

Speaking at a symposium in February after touring the People's Daily, the Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television, President Xi Jinping told news media run by the Party and the government to strictly follow the Party's leadership and focus on "positive reporting."

All news media run by the Party must speak for the Party's will, Xi was quoted by the Xinhua News Agency.