Unit 30 – Task 4

Regulations

ASA – Advertisement standards authorities – It published a set of rules called BCAP, which states things you can and can’t do, some of those rules are actual laws passed by parliament by law. Ethical Moral Rules – Gambling, Children, Drugs and Smoking Awareness. (Does this advert cause harm and offence?)

BCAP - Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice – Things you can and cannot do (Put on television?). They are responsible for writing and updating the UK Advertising Codes. The Committees are made up of representatives of advertisers, agencies, media owners and other industry groups, all of which are committed to upholding the highest standards in non-broadcast and broadcast advertising.

Ofcom – Enforce the law, take regards to what ASA report and produce legal enforcement. The ASA can also refer problematic broadcast advertisers to Ofcom. Broadcasters have ultimate responsibility for advertisements shown on their channels and are therefore directly answerable to Ofcom, their licensing authority. Ofcom has powers to fine and/or revoke licenses. For example, following more than 1,000 complaints to the ASA about the shopping channel Auction World.tv, the ASA referred the matter to Ofcom, which found the company in breach of its license and fined it. Auction World.tv ended up in administration and went out of business.

The ASA deal with most types of ads but not all of them. If we can’t deal with people complaints themselves, they will try tot help them contact the right people. The types of ads they deal with include:

Magazine and newspaper advertisements Radio and TV commercials (not programs or programme sponsorship) Television Shopping Channels Advertisements on the Internet, including:Banner and display adsPaid-for (sponsored) searchMarketing on companies’ own websites and in other space they control likeSocial networking sites Twitter and Facebook The ASA now regulate Online Behavioral Advertising (OBA).OBA is the practice of collection information web browsers so that it can be used to present online advertisements that are more relevant to the user of a practical computer.

Ofcom - Ofcom is responsible for the rules governing product placement, including what can and can’t be shown on TV screens. Every time Ofcom receives a complaint from a viewer or listener, we assess it under the

Unit 30 – Task 4

Broadcasting Code to see if it needs further investigation. The Code sets standards for television and radio shows and broadcasters have to follow these rules.Broadcasting Code - These rules not only cover harm and offence, but also other areas like impartiality and accuracy, sponsorship and commercial references as well as fairness and privacy. For example, the Code has rules on what can be screened on TV before the 9pm watershed. If we find a programme has broken these rules, then it will be found in breach of the Code and Ofcom will publish this decision. In very serious cases, we will consider further action (e.g. fining a broadcaster).