United Kingdom

[GB] ITC amends rules on long advertisements

IRIS 1996-8:1/23

Marcel Dellebeke

Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam

The Independent Television Commission has agreed an amendment to rule 7.1.5(A) of the ITC Rules on Advertising Breaks that will in future allow Channel 3, 4 and 5 licensees to aggregate without the prior permission of the ITC their spot advertising allowance between the hours of midnight and 6.00 a.m.to accommodate long form advertisements, including home shopping formats. Any long advertising slot created by this change must be identified separately in published programme listings. The amendment has come into force on 17 July 1996.

Satellite and cable channels carrying both programmes and advertising may already carry up to one hour per day of home shopping, which is the maximum allowed by the European Union Directive on Television Broadcasts for such channels. Channels devoted entirely to home shopping have also been licensed by the ITC for satellite and cable distribution.