Officials in the Anhui Provincial Administration of Radio, Film and Television admitted on Monday that a large number of unauthorized broadcasting stations have been able to make illegal profits but said the misdeeds are not as serious as reports allege.

Guangzhou Daily reported on Monday that nearly 1,000 unauthorized broadcasting stations had been found to be operating in the central and northern parts of Anhui province. Most of them had earned huge profits by broadcasting, without permission and in defiance of Chinese laws, violent and pornographic programs to residents in rural areas.

Guangzhou Daily also quoted a netizen who claimed that each station could bring in from 500,000 yuan ($76,220) to 900,000 yuan in annual returns by investing less than 50,000 yuan in equipment.

According to the Regulations on Broadcasting and Television Administration issued by the government in 1997, private broadcasting or radio stations are not allowed in China.

Guangzhou Daily also mentioned that local officials had been lured by the prospect of making huge profits into taking stakes in the illegal stations. That, the newspaper reported, is one of the reasons why eradicating the illegal stations will be difficult.

Not all agree.

Xie Changlu, a researcher with the social management department of the Anhui Provincial Administration of Radio, Film and Television, said the number of unauthorized broadcasting stations mentioned in the report was inaccurate.

Even so, he refused to disclose the specific number, saying, "it is very hard to count" since broadcasting equipment that has been turned off cannot be detected.