PPA Seeks To Clarify Magazines’ Masthead Restrictions

The Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) has met with the ITC to propose a number of changes to the Commission’s masthead programming code which was unveiled in April (see ITC Extends Masthead Programming To Terrestrial).

The PPA is hoping to convince the ITC to relax its restrictions surrounding the duplication of material from the magazine on the television programme. It is also hoping that masthead programmes will be able to refer back to the ‘parent’ publication as long as such references are not merely promotional plugs.

A number of wording changes have been proposed by the PPA to soften the ITC code in this way. It has suggested that only ‘non-topical’ events are prevented from being covered in both the magazine and the TV programme and that restrictions on the duplication of material should only apply to the current edition of the magazine.

Visual references to the magazine are not permitted by the code as it stands; the PPA is hoping that this will be altered so that visual references are ‘not unduly prominent’ but are permitted.

The PPA says that it is hopeful that its suggestions will be accommodated by the ITC and that it is expecting an announcement in about a month’s time.

For a report of a recent PPA conference on masthead programming subscribers see Newsline‘s Research features list.

PPA: 0171 404 4166