The IPA yesterday held a meeting to outline plans for the future of media broadcasting radio and press. The three main areas outlined for discussion were accountability, future plans and digital broadcasting. Adrian Birchall outlined areas which the IPA believe should be lobbied.
* To lobby for an early launch of Channel 5 in autumn 1996, with its airtime sold in competition with ITV and other broadcasters.
* To lobby for safeguards against anti – competitive advertising sales concentrations in the Government’s legislation to relax media ownership restrictions.
* To lobby for significant notice for advertising issues to be included in digital developments.
With relation to BARB:
* To pursue IPA requirements for both the current and future BARB contracts.
* To continue a dialogue with member agencies about their current and future needs from BARB.
* To push for access to BARB programme promotion data practices.
* If required, to organise IPA projects to further IPA aims in the field of television viewing measurement.
Simon King spoke on the subject of Press Research. His aims are to pursue IPA requirements for the NRS via:
* Continuation of the core readership measurement (AIR)
* Addition of information about newspaper sections and quality of reading.
* If required, to organize IPA projects to further IPA aims in the field of press readership measurement.
Within the Radio sector, Derek Morris has taken responsibility. He wants to influence the changes under way within the industry in a way that leads to a strong, long term medium supplying useful audiences to advertisers. He wants to ensure that these audiences are brought to the market in a balanced, flexible way without the seller dictating events to the buyer.
Action to be taken in:
i Monitoring cross media ownership and its effects on the radio industry.
ii Monitoring the growth of major radio groups.
iii Developing fair sales policies and the customer charter.
iv Encouraging the development of electronic data exchange and verification of spot transmission.
v Developing and evaluating RAJAR.
Television sales practices
* In co-operation with ISBA, to create an ongoing forceful, yet constructive, dialogue with the major television media owners – not just talking when there is a problem.
* Vigorously monitor television inflation and deal rapidly with any issues that arise so that the IPA is seen to have a clear decisive view.
* Work with ITV lobbying for more flexibility with regard to scheduling.
* Continually pressure all television providers but, particularly ITV, to continually increase investment in quality programming.
* To push for access to the BARB programme promotion data which ITV has refused to release (cf. BARB).
IPA: 0171 235 7020
