Producers of reality television shows in China have been adjusting programs that feature celebrities and their children after a directive from China's media regulator banning the exploitation of stars' children, an official said.

The move to keep kids out of reality television has been known since January, when the regulator informed the television companies of the decision.

Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday that the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television said it will not approve reality shows in the future that use celebrities' children as stars.

The latest steps are part of a new directive issued by the regulator aimed at controlling content of a number of reality shows, Xinhua said.

"Actually, the administration issued the directive in January, and the TV stations and producers have all received it and have been adjusting the contents of their shows in accordance with the directive," said Gao Changli, director of the publicity department within the administration.

In July 2015, the media regulator issued a directive limiting the participation of minors in reality shows in a move aimed at protecting them from exploitation.

Some local TV stations have already canceled programs involving children. Other shows are changing their format in order to comply with the new directive. Among shows with an uncertain future is the popular Dad! Where Are We Going? from Hunan Satellite TV.

The administration's statistics revealed that, in 2015, more than 100 reality shows were broadcast on TV nationwide, many of which featured children. The shows generated more than 10 billion yuan ($1.55 billion) in advertising revenue.

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