IPA Gives Limited Welcome To Draft Bill
The IPA has welcomed Tuesday’s draft Communications Bill but has expressed disappointment that certain issues relating to advertising, in particular with regards to sales rules, have not been addressed.
IPA Media Policy Group chairman Jim Marshall said: “While the Bill is more liberal that we expected, our biggest concern remains- where is the recognition and protection of advertiser interests? The IPA’s submission drew attention to the importance for the industry of a free and open market in advertising sales. Although the Bill addresses some of the main cross media ownership issues it does not look at media sales houses.”
He continued: “We would also like to have seen the BBC brought more under Ofcom’s remit, and if Ofcom is to assume some of the OFT’s responsibilities with regard to competition matters in media, we will be extremely interested in finding out how it intends to interpret this role.”
The IPA had been seeking recognition for issues including:
- Enforceable rules on both advertising airtime sales and those who own and control time, both within and across media;
- Ownership limits for sales operations set at 25% of sales within each medium and 15% across media;
- Competition in key regions in both television and radio;
- Sales regulation incorporated into the Ofcom remit and a regulated BBC, or at least a BBC that is required to operate to a public service remit and is made accountable for its performance.
IPA: 020 7235 7020 www.ipa.co.uk
Recent Communications Bill stories from NewsLine: Communications Bill Lays Down OFCOM Framework Reaction To Draft Bill Begins Draft Communications Bill Relaxes Cross Media Rules
Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive