One of China's official provincial television channels has apologised for hiring bikini models to deliver weather forecasts,as part of its 2012 UEFA European Football Championship coverage,after the move drew flak from public. The Guangdong Television has apologised for hiring the bikini models. On June 8 before the start of the games,two women in black and orange bikinis appeared on its sports channel and delivered the weather reports for Poland and Ukraine,where the games are being held. The video was posted on the Internet and stirred debate. Zhou Chun,director of the sports channel,said that the hosts wore inappropriate clothing in the first broadcast and the TV station apologises for that. He added that,even though we live in more tolerant times,hosts should dress appropriately because they have influential jobs. On June 12,the People's Daily newspaper published a comment criticising the broadcast. The comment said that high ratings should depend on good content,not on nudity. "Media outlets are obsessed with innovation and always try to use extraordinary ways to get attention,but they should never get off track," the comment said. An online survey by the People's Daily website showed that out of the 6,940 respondents,49. 6 per cent believed that the show was in bad taste,while 46.9 per cent said that they think the show was acceptable,China Daily reported.
