BEIJING, March 26 -- Chinese mainland's star-making reality TV show "Happy Boy" will not be open to male applicants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau or other foreign cities, said the country's top TV industry watchdog yesterday.

"Happy boy" is the male version of "Super Girl," which is regarded as the Chinese version of American Idol. The girl's event, operated by central China's Hunan TV, drew an audience of 400 million for the finale in 2005.

The country's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television approved the male version earlier this month.

However, the regulation that only mainland's male applicants are allowed to register was released just days before the application procedure began on Wednesday in Changsha, one of the five mainland cities to hold the contest.

The other four includes Chengdu and three undecided cities.

The regulation spoiled Hunan TV's ambition to extend the series to the overseas market, an official with the TV station told the Hunan-based Xiaoxiang Morning yesterday.

"My Hero," another star-making reality show by Shanghai's SMG Dragon TV, said it was not informed of the regulation, and it is still receiving foreign applicants, said an official with Dragon TV.

A previous regulation by the administration has stipulated that televised talent shows can't run for more than six weeks at a time.

While the first "Happy Boy" may last for five months, according to a previous report.

Last year there were about 10 influential star-making TV shows across the country, among which those from CCTV, Hunan Satellite TV and SMG's Dragon TV, were the most popular. "Super Girl" ran for almost five months and "My Hero" lasted four months.

While the shows have proven popular, they have also earned many complaints from people who say they are vulgar and uncultured.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)