IRTC warns of crackdown on covert radio, TV advertising

The new broadcasting code on television and radio advertising will strengthen regulations designed to prevent advertisers from influencing the editorial content of radio and television programmes.

The chairman of the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC), Mr Conor Maguire, told a conference yesterday that the provisions in the new Broadcasting Bill relating to codes and rules on advertising, would help combat "surreptitious advertising".

Mr Maguire told the conference: "We will look at placement, surreptitious advertising, virtual advertising and advertising by presenters of programmes.

"Standards in these areas have slipped over the past number of years."

He said the revision of the code would also encompass advertising for children, and regulations on alcohol and products currently prohibited on radio and TV advertising.

"We believe it is important that advertisers or sponsors should not exercise any editorial influence over the content of programmes." He also said no "part of the programme should have been supplied or suggested by an advertiser."

Mr Maguire said regulations on sponsorship, promotions and competitions would also need to be examined "to ensure that these are not used as advertising by another name.

"In recent monitoring of competitions, the IRTC identified on-air contestants being asked to guess prices being charged by supermarkets and to recall the range offered by a particular yogurt brand," he said.

"Promotional interviews during outside broadcasts is another area of particular concern," he added. The IRTC intended to consult "all of the various interest groups in the near future to ensure that codes reflect best practice in these areas".

The chairman said he wanted to emphasise "that the approach of the commission is that the successful implementation of codes depends on the support of all the players".

The IRTC had attempted in its policy on local radio to "ensure a sufficient level of local involvement so that licencees are not driven by purely commercial motives but also by a desire to develop and promote their local area or region."

He said it was "not possible to be precise" on the time-frame for the introduction of digital radio because "too many factors could affect it both positively and negatively". The IRTC took the view "that it is likely to become a reality in three to four years' time".