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BEIJING (Reuters) - China has banned sexually explicit television shows, such as those featuring sex toys and contraceptives, as it tries to clean up its airwaves and imbue socialist values.
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The order follows the axing of controversial "Beautiful Makeover," a reality program in the southern province of Guangdong showing plastic surgery operations, and the banning of shows featuring "public participation" in sex-change operations.

The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television scolded provincial television stations in the western frontier city of Chengdu for broadcasting "lewd and obscene" footage, according to its online Web site (www.safrt.gov.cn).

"All levels of television broadcasters must not air any vulgar content involving sexual experiences or functions of sex toys and birth control devices, effective immediately," SARFT said in the notice.

China is worried about sexist and sexually suggestive adverts on screen, and recently instructed state broadcaster CCTV to rein in advertisers.

The administration has moved to crack down on increasingly free-wheeling TV broadcasters, urging them to reject "vulgarity" and "weirdness" in the pursuit of ratings.

"Happy Boys Voice," China's male-only take-off of U.S. talent show "American Idol," cut scenes involving contestants in tears, with wild hair or singing "unhealthy" songs in its first season to comply with the watchdog's demands.

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