ASA Supports Government’s Plans For Self-Regulation

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has welcomed the proposed measures to reform communications regulation, put forward in the Government’s recently published draft Communications Bill (see The Bill In Brief: The Changes To Come).

According to the Authority, the Bill honours the commitments to the “timely reform” of communications regulation included in the Communications White Paper and leaves the way open for the continuation of non-broadcast regulation.

A policy statement accompanying the Bill makes it clear that OFCOM will need to establish a relationship with non-statutory bodies and the ASA has welcomed the “tacit endorsement” of self-regulation that this signals.

The advertising body says that it looks forward to working with the Government and OFCOM in pursuit of a self-regulatory approach to light-touch regulation and has given its strong support to the Government’s recognition of the effectiveness of advertising self-regulation in the new media sector.

With reference to broadcast advertising, the ASA stresses the importance of co-regulation and emphasises that any dilution of industry involvement in drawing up and enforcing advertising standards could undermine the effectiveness of this form of regulation.

ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk

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