Ofcom Releases New Ad Guidelines

LONDON, July 24: Ofcom has
published a revised advertising code for British broadcasters, including
lifting a rule mandating at least a 20-minute interval between commercial
breaks in a show.

Ofcom notes that the
existing 20-minute ad interval “forces the first and last breaks to be
scheduled very close to the beginning and end of some programs to the annoyance
of viewers.”

The regulatory authority
has not changed the amount of advertising per program for most content. It has,
however, ended the restriction on ad breaks in documentaries, current affairs
and programs about religion, which may have discouraged networks from airing
such content. In addition, the new ad code allows broadcasters to transmit one
advertising break for every 30 minutes of a film, instead of one for every 45
minutes. The changes take effect September 1.

The revisions are the
result of a comprehensive review of ad regulations conducted earlier this year.
The second-stage consultation document on the amount of advertising and
teleshopping that is allowed on television will be released this fall.

—By Mansha Daswani