Italy

[IT] New Provisions on Public Service Advertising

IRIS 2000-9:1/20

Maja Cappello

Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (AGCOM)

On 7 June 2000, the Italian Parliament approved law no. 150 on Public Service Advertising (Disciplina delle attività di informazione e di comunicazione delle pubbliche amministrazioni, Legge of 7 June 2000, no. 150, in Gazzetta Ufficiale of 13 June 2000, no. 136). The law entitles any Italian public Institution, both at national and local level as defined by the Public Administration Act of 1993 (Razionalizzazione dell'organizzazione delle amministrazioni pubbliche e revisione della disciplina in materia di pubblico impiego, Decreto legislativo of 3 February 1993, no. 29, in Gazzetta Ufficiale of 6 February 1993, no. 14), to carry out institutional information and communication activity. Public service advertising transmitted on television is exempted from the ordinary transmission time limits concerning commercial sponsoring and advertising. Article 3 contemplates two different types of public service advertising: messaggi di pubblico interesse (messages of public interest) and messaggi di utilità sociale (messages of social utility). The former must be determined by the Council of Ministers and may be transmitted only free of charge by public and private (if specifically authorised) broadcasters; the total amount shall not exceed 2% of any given clock hour on public channels and 1% of the weekly transmission time on private channels. The latter may be freely determined by each institution, provided that the messages are of social interest; if not transmitted free of charge, the price may not exceed 50% of the ordinary price fixed for commercial advertising and the total transmitted amount must not exceed an average of four minutes of the daily transmission time of the broadcaster concerned.