EU Countries May Keep Lid on TV Ads

BRUSSELS,
November 14: Countries of the European Union have begun an initiative to keep
television advertising at current levels and to ban product placement from news
and children’s programs.

According
to the AP, the proposed regulation calls for ads on TV programs to be kept to a
maximum of 12 per minutes per hour, although there will be more flexibility on
the number of slots per hour. Films and news programs would be allowed only one
interruption in 30 minutes of broadcast time, as would children’s programs over
a half hour in length.

The
25 EU ministers responsible for broadcasting called the initiative, which is
tentative, a big step toward stemming the rising tide of commercialism in
Europe's TV industry.

Product
placement would also be limited, but could still be used to help finance
fiction programs with European content—as well as sports and light
entertainment.

Backers
of the proposal hope it will receive support from the European Parliament next
month. Member states will then need to confirm it next year in order for it to
become law.

Media
and technology companies have opposed the proposed limits, cautioning that
imposing such restrictions could hurt the growth of new media markets,
including broadband and mobile video.