ITC Publishes Revised Cross-Promotion Rules
The ITC has published a revised set of cross-promotion guidelines designed to strike a balance between the provision of information regarding digital services in the multi-channel environment and dangers of promotional clutter.
The ITC’s director of strategy, economics and finance, Robin Foster, said: “These guidelines bring together all the rules relating to cross-promotion which will provide clarity for broadcasters and allow them greater flexibility to promote digital channels than ever before.”
The changes to the current code, which follow the publication of two consultation documents (see itc), take effect immediately and are intended to encourage the more widespread adoption of digital services and increase the range and type of services available to viewers. The new guidelines are also designed to limit the amount of promotional clutter on already commercially crowded programme services and prevent broadcasters from introducing hidden advertising into programmes.
The ITC claims that the UK’s key broadcasters, channel providers and industry interest groups support the main principles behind the guidelines.
The main areas of the new guidelines are as follows:
- Broadcasters may promote programmes or events on their own channels, or promote other channels and services that they provide outside advertising minutage.
- The ITC will track the amount of promotion on all ITC licensed channels and will periodically review the effects of cross-promotion on viewer information and competition.
- Promotions of channels by analogue terrestrial broadcasters will not give an excessive amount of airtime to a particular channel or service.
- Analogue terrestrial licenses are not allowed to promote any particular digital platform or platform provider outside paid-for advertising minutage.
- Promotions outside advertising minutage must not include any information on prices or products and services. In-programme promotions should provide information likely to be of value to viewers of the programme and must not become advertising or compromise the editorial integrity of the programmes in which they are placed.
ITC: 020 7255 3000 www.itc.org.uk
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