Popular television shows aired during Ramadan have come under fire from the national broadcast watchdog for racy content that violates regulations.

The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) sent warning letters to the producers of six shows broadcast by five national TV stations, Nina Mutmainnah Armando, deputy chairwoman of the KPI, said on Wednesday.

All six shows are Ramadan specials that air before dawn and before sunset, when Muslims prepare to break their fast. The shows are "Saatnya Kita Sahur," "Sahurnya OVJ," "Sabarrr," "Sahur Semua Sahuuur," "Pesbuker" and "THR."

Nina said the shows violated standards and broadcasting regulations for containing scenes depicting gratuitous violence, offensive language and "undesirable behavior" by presenters.

"If after receiving this first warning letter the producers still don't make any changes, then we will issue a second warning letter," she said. "After that, we can exercise the option of either limiting the shows' broadcast time or stopping their broadcast altogether." She added that other stations had played commercials during adzan, the call to prayer, which should not happen.

"We hope all the broadcasters take our advice into consideration and prioritize educational programming rather than mindless entertainment that amuses temporarily but has no educational benefits," Nina said. "Television, after all, is a key means for shaping the national character."

Local broadcasters have also come under fire. In South Sulawesi, the local broadcast regulator, KPID, said local stations were airing Ramadan-themed quiz shows and soap operas that broke the rules. Andi Fadly, a KPID commissioner, said the presenters of one quiz show used provocative language that "bordered on the pornographic."

He added that some of the more heavily sponsored shows were excessive in their product placement, thereby encouraging consumption at a time when most Muslim viewers were expected to be practicing frugality.

Dhani Nuniek, from the Makassar-based Institute of Public Media Information Studies, said that producers should abide by Islamic values if they wanted to run shows on a Ramadan theme. "But what we're seeing are soap operas where the actors are displaying un-Islamic behavior, which is completely inappropriate," she said.

Dadang Rachmat Hidayat, the KPI chairman, said earlier this month that stations should keep advertising moderate during Ramadan and not compromise the holy month's values.

Programming during the holiday adjusts to a change in viewers' habits, when the number of people watching rises and predawn meal and fast-breaking hours become prime time.