Madam, - May I, through your columns, congratulate the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland on its present initiative to investigate child-targeted advertising on TV?
The BCI welcomes submissions from the public on the subject (straynor@bci.ie). For the first time, parents and other concerned adults have the opportunity to make their concerns known.
I have been protesting vainly about this practice for over 30 years. My recent attempts as a member of the RTÉ Authority to get our public broadcaster to abandon this ruthless encouragement of "pester power", particularly at Christmas time, were unsuccessful.
If parents do not respond appropriately, advertisers will be able to claim (again) that there is no undue cause to worry about children's advertising. - Yours, etc.,
BOB QUINN, Béal an Daingin, Co na Gaillimhe.