Romania

[RO] Amendment to CAN Decision on the Regulation of Audiovisual Content

IRIS 2008-1:1/24

Mariana Stoican

Journalist, Bucharest

In its Decision No. 762 of 11 September 2007, the Consiliul Naţional al Audiovizualului (National Audiovisual Council - CNA), the Romanian regulator for the electronic media, adopted amendments to the Regulatory Code for Audiovisual Content (for information on the previous amendment, see IRIS 2007-4: 19). According to the changes, it is prohibited in advertising and teleshopping to show doctors or doctors’ practices where their identity is mentioned or is recognisable (section 109(3)).

Section II of Decision No. 194/2007 (published in the Romanian Official Gazette, Part 1, No. 152 of 2 March 2007) amending Decision No. 187/2006 on the Regulatory Code for Audiovisual Content (as amended), also contains the following new wording: “This Decision will enter into force one month after its publication in Part 1 of the Romanian Official Gazette, with the exception of the provisions of section 101(6), which will enter into force on 15 September 2007, and sections 109(3) and 138(3) and (4), which will enter into force on 1 January 2008.”

Thus, according to section 101(6), which has been in force since 15 September 2007, interactive television games and competitions with cash prizes in which the public can participate through the electronic means of communication available, are now considered to be “live” transmissions and may only be broadcast between 10pm and 6am.

Section 138 of CNA Decision No. 194, which will enter into force on 1 January 2008, provides that no personalities with whom children are familiar and no well-known doctors may advertise food products aimed at children (there are exceptions for natural products), nor may figures from popular cartoon films or fairytale characters be used (section 3). It is also forbidden to establish a link between these foods and other children’s articles not destined for consumption (such as toys, transfers and similar items) (section 4).