Lithuania

[LT] Implementation of the Requirements for Audiovisual Commercial Communication and Sponsoring of Audiovisual Media Services

IRIS 2011-3:1/25

Jurgita Iešmantaitė

Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania

On 12 January 2011 the Rules for the Implementation of the Requirements for Audiovisual Commercial Communication and Sponsoring of Audiovisual Media Services were adopted by a decision of the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania.

The Rules were prepared and adopted following the requirements for the implementation of the amendments to the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public of 30 September 2010, which transposed the provisions of the Audiovisual Media Service Directive (see IRIS 2011-1/39).

Whereas the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public did not clearly specify either the requirements for the broadcasting of audiovisual commercial communication in television programmes or the sponsoring of audiovisual media services, it obliged the Radio and Television Commission to establish the procedure for the implementation of the above-mentioned provisions.

The Rules provide that in order to inform viewers on the presence of product placement in a programme, broadcasters are to place a „P“ on the screen at the start and at the end of the programme and when the programme resumes after an advertising break, for not less than five seconds. During the transitional period, for one month after the coming into effect of the Rules, they also have to publish an explanatory text about the meaning of the letter „P“.

In addition, the Rules specify the presentation of a sponsor’s name in audiovisual media services in greater detail.

According to the Rules the sponsor’s name should be presented in such a way, and for that amount of time, that viewers can easily hear and clearly see the respective name or logo. The duration of the presentation of one sponsor amounts to seven seconds and the total time of the presentation of several sponsors in succession shall not exceed 30 seconds.

It should be noted that these Rules were prepared in close collaboration with broadcasters and the draft Rules were published on the Commission’s website for public consultation.