The National Radio and Television Administration in Beijing. Photo: VCG

China's top television regulator on Wednesday released an opinion piece asking news organizations and lower-level television bureaus to enhance management of anchors' and TV hosts' professional and social activities. 

The opinion, released by the National Radio and Television Administration on its website, stated that anchors and TV hosts should have firm political stance, high morality, rich knowledge, professional skills and be dedicated to work. 

The publicity and TV management organs, and broadcasting organizations must prioritize political accomplishment in training. Professionals need to remember their political responsibilities, have firm political stance and political sensitivity, read the opinion.

Relevant departments also need to strengthen culturing of professional ethics, educate and guide anchors and TV hosts to resist seduction of fame and money. They should also clean up their "social circle" and be humble to build positive public images. 

Anchors and hosts are not allowed to join in organizations or activities that damage the media and their own image, use their professional status and personal reputation to seek improper benefits, express inappropriate remarks or conduct inappropriate behavior in public, and are encouraged to accept the social supervision, according to the opinion.

The anchors and hosts, if they attend activities outside the organizations they are affiliated with, need to obtain an approval beforehand. Their commercials, promotion activities or livestreaming sales must be approved by their employers. 

Broadcasting organizations should extend anchors' and hosts' influence to online sphere. For livestreaming, text and audiovisual posts they publish online, it is necessary to differentiate private and professional information, and have different regulation rules for them. It is necessary to guide them to be familiar with the online public sphere and play a positive role as a communicator. 

Anchors and TV hosts must obtain relevant certificates before assuming the posts. Galas that use amateur hosts must report to TV regulation bureaus. The broadcasting organizations, when purchasing programs, should verify involved hosts' qualification, consider their professional performance and social images. 

Industry associations should play their parts in ethics education, and elect models while condemning those who misbehave to promote a good atmosphere in the industry, the opinion stated.