Advertising Groups Welcome Move Towards Self-Regulation
The Advertising Association (AA) and ISBA have welcomed the Government’s recently published Communications Bill as a significant step towards the self-regulation of broadcast advertising.
Both groups have voiced their support for the Bill, which they feel will clear the legislative barriers to allow the extension of advertising self-regulation into the broadcast arena.
Andrew Brown, director general of the AA, said: “As media converge, it will become increasingly untenable to retain the current approach of statutory regulation for broadcast advertising and self-regulation for all other media. The Government should be congratulated for recognising the need for a system that meets future rather than current needs.”
Ian Twinn, ISBA’s director of public affairs, added: “Ofcom has been given a primary duty to look to develop effective forms of self-regulation wherever possible and we are confident that this will ensure that the ad industry’s case will be positively considered when we put specific proposals to Ofcom.”
The industry is pushing for new communications super-regulator, Ofcom, to focus on actively encouraging self regulation, rather than just “sitting back and letting it happen”. According to the AA, Ofcom must regularly review where it can reduce or lift unnecessary regulatory burdens and must have regard to the extend to which its duties are furthered or secured by effective self-regulation.
Brown added: “If self regulation is to become a reality, there must be a real transfer of responsibility from Ofcom to the advertising industry. The industry, not the regulator, must be responsible for the codes and dealing with the complaints in debates about the future of broadcast advertising. It must be an equal partner and not just the agent of Ofcom.”
Earlier this week, Shadow Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale, welcomed the liberalisation of the media ownership regulations and the creation of Ofcom, but called for the BBC come fully under the control of the new super-regulator (see Tories Urge Government To Bring BBC Under Ofcom).
Advertising Association: 020 828 2771 www.adassoc.org.uk ISBA: 020 7499 7502 www.isba.org.uk
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