China cuts surgery-based reality shows

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), in a document on its website dated August 23, called for a halt to programs with such "indecent themes and bloody and explicit scenes."

One such show - modeled after the Fox show The Swan - was called Lovely Cinderella in Chinese and kicked off the trend. It was followed with the July debut of A New Date With Beauty.

Cinderella was broadcast by the satellite station run by the government of the province of Hunan in central China.

In both shows, women were given multiple reconstructive surgeries in exchange for agreeing to unveil the results for the first time - even to themselves - in front of a television studio audience.

"Ongoing programs of this kind should be stopped immediately," SARFT said.

"Any party that violates the rule will be punished."

The popularity of the programs comes as urban Chinese incomes rise and beauty products and other cosmetic options from around the world become more readily available to Chinese consumers. © 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation